


After All These Years

by thatbitch100100100



Category: Reign (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:14:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 41,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25801177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatbitch100100100/pseuds/thatbitch100100100
Summary: Mary moves across the country to attend a prestigious prep school, having been scouted for her gymnastics talent and academic prowess. She's nervous, but her mother tells her an old childhood friend, long forgotten, attends that school as well.Francis isn't exactly excited to resume the school year again, to go back to the pressures of his classes, football, and extracurriculars. But when he hears word that his childhood pal Mary is moving to his school, he can't help but get intrigued.What will happen when Mary and Francis are reunited in the high-pressure, cut-throat world that is the Academie de Fontainebleau?
Relationships: Mary Queen of Scots/Francis de Valois (Reign)
Comments: 33
Kudos: 28





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there, I'm new to the fandom and only just finished the series! I can't believe I've been missing out all these years! Better late than never, though! 
> 
> I wanted to write a high school AU of Frary!! Their school is named after the palace that (I think!) the french court would've been set in during their time. For sake of ease, I'm keeping the siblings to Bash, Francis, Claude, Charles, Henry, and Margot. Leeza bugs me (sorry not sorry) and I didn't want to worry about adding in Hercules.

Mary couldn’t help the sigh that escaped her lips as she rested her head against the cool glass of the car window. She and her mother were three days into the drive from their old home California to New York City, and she had long since found herself getting bored. It certainly didn’t help that her mother’s company was best enjoyed in small doses. 

She reached into her bag at her feet and pulled out her well-used planner, deciding to use the many hours left to her advantage. Flipping it open, she pulled out the carefully-documented and meticulously crafted guide to her new school. She ran through her class schedule for the tenth time, skimming the subjects and trying to ignore the flurry of butterflies that arose in her stomach whenever she thought too much about it. 

Her mother turned slightly to Mary before returning her steely gaze to the road. “Have you decided on your extracurriculars yet?” 

“Um, no. Not yet.” Mary replied hesitantly. 

“You need to get on it. Gymnastics won’t be enough, no matter how good you are. Read me our list again.” 

Mary suppressed the urge to sigh and flipped forward several pages to the list that her mother had compiled of “ _acceptable activities_ ,” organized by the percentage of Harvard acceptees that had participated in such activities in high school. 

“Model U.N.,” Mary began. 

“To show your interest in foreign affairs, diplomacy, and public speaking skills, of course,” Marie interjected. 

“Future Business Leaders of America,” she listed. 

“Given you will be running your father’s company someday, that’s a given.” 

_“Speech and Debate,” “Key Club,”_ and “ _National Honors Society_ ,” Mary continued to list. Her mother debated the practicality and benefit of each activity with her, and Mary did her best to listen attentively. 

“So what do you think?” Marie asked. 

“I’m still not sure,” Mary admitted. 

“You need to decide _now_ , Mary. Once we get there, you don’t have a moment to lose.”

And didn’t Mary know it. Her whole life, all her aspirations, were tied to going to Harvard. The alma mater of both of her parents, nothing else would suffice. 

Marie had decided to move Mary across the country so she could attend the best prep school in the country, the school that had both stellar academics and a world-class gymnastics program. The best of all the schools that had scouted her for her gymnastics prowess, Académie de Fontainebleau was incredibly prestigious and was certainly her best chance at advancing her athletic and academic careers. 

It wasn’t just family pressure to attend Harvard that pushed Mary so hard. She did want to go there, truly. Even though her relationship with her mother was strained at best, she did have fond memories of her late father, and she had decided long ago that she would do whatever it took to make him proud, to accomplish his dreams for her. But sometimes the pressure from her mother, the cut-throat and high-society Marie de Guise, felt like too much to handle. 

“I know, mom. I’ll make my decision soon, ok?” Mary replied. 

“Good,” her mother said firmly, the matter seemingly tabled for the time being. 

Once Marie’s attention was directed once more away from her daughter and back to the NPR station on the radio, Mary flipped to the back of her planner, the section with blank pages that she used as a journal. Careful not to reveal the contents to her mother, she began to write. 

_It’s a lot to handle. I don’t know what to expect, and I don’t know a single soul in New York, except my uncle, but he hardly counts._

_Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited! I’m excited about being part of such a strong gymnastics program, and about learning new things._

_But more than anything, more than the excitement, I’m nervous. What if I can’t make any new friends? What if the classes are too hard for me? What if I’m not as good of a gymnast as they thought I was, and they kick me off?_

_Feeling alone is a terrible feeling. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. I feel alone now, and I’m afraid I’m going to feel this way forever. I hope I’m good enough. I hope they like me there. I hope--_

Mary’s anxious musings were interrupted by her mother’s voice. 

“Oh, I nearly forgot. We have a...family friend, I guess you could say, that attends your school. Do you remember Francis Valois? You were friends when you were little.” 

The name brought a pleasant sense of recollection, a recovered memory that brought her back to simpler, happier times. Of running through the grass in Central Park, of being scolded for splashing through the Bethesda Fountain, of seeing the animals at the Bronx Zoo, all with a blonde-haired, curly-headed boy by her side. 

“Oh yeah! Gosh, I haven’t thought about him in ages.” Mary admitted, excitement creeping into her voice. 

Marie chuckled. “I believe the last time you saw each other, you were around seven or eight? It makes sense that you don’t remember many details.” 

“I remember some,” Mary added. “We spent the summers with his family when I was little. They had a really pretty house, I remember being afraid to get things messy. Francis and I used to play together, I remember that. I played with some of his siblings, too. An older brother and a younger sister.” 

“Yes, Catherine isn’t exactly known for tolerating messes,” Marie chuckled darkly. “And those siblings that you remember, that would be Sebastian and Claude, I believe.” 

“I remember it now,” Mary said softly, a smile creeping up on her face. 

“Well, Francis attends Fontainebleau, too. So you will already have a friend there.” Marie added. 

“I haven’t seen him in forever, I doubt I can call him a friend.” 

“Maybe you’ll need to get _reacquainted_ , then.” Marie said insistently. “And it certainly wouldn’t hurt if you became a little more than friends with him, either.” 

“Mom!” Mary gasped in shock. 

“Well, it’s true. Let’s just say that a closer relationship between our families wouldn’t exactly hurt the business.” 

Mary rolled her eyes. “I’m not going to flirt with some guy just because it’ll help you make more money.” 

Mary’s head spun with the new information. Once her mother seemed content to drive in silence for a while longer, she opened up her journal page again. 

_I remember summers in New York City with Francis. I can’t believe I haven’t thought about him until just now. Granted, it was a long time ago, and the memories are fuzzy at best, but what I do remember is being really happy those summers._

_Obviously we’re different people now, I know that. But it would be nice if I could be friends with him again. I could really use a friend there._

…………….

  
The family had already begun eating when Henry bursted through the door, his voice booming and his presence commanding as soon as he stepped into the dining room. 

“Couldn’t wait, I see?” he sneered slightly at Catherine. 

“The children were hungry, Henry,” she quipped back. 

Francis watched out of the corner of his eye as his father took his position at the head of the table, ushering their chef to hurry over and fill his plate. 

“How was your day, children?” he asked, setting his elbows on the table. 

“Fine,” they droned, practically in unison. 

“What, that’s it? Nothing more for your dear old dad?” 

“I lost another tooth!” Margot piped in, grinning widely to show off the new gap in her mouth. 

“Well look at you, kid!” their father exclaimed. “Anyone else?” 

“I beat Charles at tennis today,” little Henry bragged. 

“Oh, barely!” Charles muttered. 

Henry continued to spew out fake interest in his children’s lives for several more minutes, his attention lapped up by the younger ones and ignored by the older. 

Before Francis knew it, the attention was on him. 

“Francis, Bash, you start school tomorrow, yes?” their father asked as he stabbed a piece of meat a little too forcefully with his fork. 

“Yep.” Francis replied. 

“Do you remember a girl that visited us when you were kids? Mary?” 

Francis whipped his head up. _Mary._ He hadn’t heard that name in a very long time. 

“Umm, I think so?” Bash said, confused. 

“Well, she’s starting at the Academie with you both this year.” 

“Why?” Francis blurted out intently. Thankfully only Bash noticed his strange tone, shooting him a confused look. 

“I believe she was scouted for gymnastics,” their father replied. 

“Oh, cool.” Bash said, slightly disinterested. 

“I expect you both to look out for her. She doesn’t know anyone, so keep an eye on her, please.” 

“Why is that our job?” Bash asked, his eyebrows raised and a hint of a smirk on his face. 

“Because we were friends with her father, and she won’t know anyone. Just do it, okay?” 

“Alright.” Bash shrugged. 

“Francis?” 

“Yeah, okay.” Francis said, attempting to sound nonchalant like his brother. 

Within seconds, the dinner conversation turned to another topic entirely, but Francis continued to think about Mary. His father’s mention of her brought up memories he had long since forgotten, tucked away in a cavern of his mind where they were unlikely to be unearthed anytime soon. But when Henry had mentioned her name, it was like a light switch was flipped in his brain, and he couldn’t believe that he had forgotten his childhood friend. 

Those childhood summers spent with Mary were filled with happy memories for Francis. Fuzzy ones, but happy memories nonetheless. It was hard to remember details from so long ago, from when he was so young, but he did recall playing with her for nearly all hours of the day, and being distraught when she had to leave at the summer’s end. 

And now he would be seeing her again, his childhood friend from happier years. His curiosity was certainly peaked. He wasn’t sure exactly what to expect, or if he would even recognize her. But he couldn’t deny that he was a little bit excited to see her after all these years, to see what she was like now that they were both older. 

With one simple dinner conversation, his dread about having to start school again was lessened.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The beginning of the first day of school!!

Francis and Mary had spent their summers in _very_ different ways. 

Mary had been busy packing for the upcoming move, saying goodbye to a few friends, studying for the ACT and SAT (at her mother’s insistence), and of course, training. 

While many teens may have utilized the summer days as times to sleep in until noon, Mary was up at 6AM nearly every day. She was determined to hone her craft before moving to a new gym where she couldn’t count on being the best of the best, not like she could in California. She wanted to be as prepared as possible, to avoid looking foolish, unskilled, or in over her head. Hours were spent training, her callouses building up as she pushed herself further and further. 

Mary excelled at all of the events. She sprang like a tightly-coiled screw on the vault, soared through the air on bars, and practically floated on the beam. But her favorite event, and the one she was most renowned for, was the floor exercise. She leapt and spun, twisted and turned, and utterly dazzled on the floor. It was what had won her competitions, what had made her famous in the gymnastics world, and most certainly what had gotten her scouted to attend Fontainebleau. Saying goodbye to her friends at her Catholic school and her coaches and teammates at the gym was no easy feat, but they all knew she was moving on to something great. 

Francis’s summer was spent much differently. 

The moment school let out in June, he was determined to spend his free time enjoying himself and making memories before he had to go back to his normal, grueling life. It wasn’t that Francis didn’t enjoy his schooling or his activities, because he did, most of the time. But the clock was ticking until he would need to start applying for colleges, and after that it would only be a matter of years before he would start working at the company, fast-tracked for his father’s position someday. So Francis was understandably trying to enjoy a little time being a normal teenager. 

He spent time with his friends and teammates, Leith and Julien, and with his older brother Bash as well. They attended ragers across the city, and with the help of several of Bash’s older friends, even snuck into several clubs. Alcohol flowed freely and the nights ran very long, fuel for the happy, carefree memories Francis was determined to make. 

And then there was Olivia. Olivia and Francis’s families had been close for years, and he had known her for most of his adolescence. They’d started dating in the eighth grade, and while Olivia wasn’t his perfect fit compatibility-wise, she made Francis feel important and adored. He spent many hours with her over the summer, both out of bed _and_ in it. Olivia had certainly brought an element of fun to his summer. 

As the end of the summer neared, and Francis was reminded of his responsibilities as football conditioning and training started, he began to realize that perhaps it was time to end things with Olivia. 

He’d known for quite some time that they weren’t meant to be together for their whole lives. The older Francis got, the more he seemed to realize that it might be best to leave Olivia as a part of his adolescence. Olivia was certainly good for him for a time, but he thought that perhaps that time had come to an end. They simply wanted different things; Olivia was content to be someone’s arm candy, preferred it, even, but Francis had realized that he wanted a true partner in life. Someone to push him to be the best version of himself, to challenge him every day, and to work by his side. The older they got, the clearer it became that Olivia was not that person. The summer spent with her, though fun, had made this even more obvious. 

These thoughts spun around his head on the night before school started, as they had been nearly all summer. He knew it was time to break up with Olivia; the relationship had run its course. But how do you break up with someone you’ve been with for two years, and known for many more? Someone who, along with you, was practically a shoo-in for the “cutest couple” superlative? Someone who likely has planned an entire future in their head with you? 

The minutes passed by as he tossed and turned anxiously. His anxiety about Olivia, as well as his nervousness about starting his junior year and resuming his difficult classes, extracurriculars, and not to mention football, was clouding his head. 

After hours of fretting, a thought popped into his head out of nowhere: _Mary_. He’d see Mary tomorrow, for the first time in a very long time. His childhood pal, his partner in crime in all his happiest memories. 

Francis fell asleep envisioning wide eyes, raven-colored hair, and a small hand in his. 

  
  


……..

  
  


Mary smoothed her red plaid miniskirt and made sure her white silk top was sufficiently tucked in. Her long hair fell in waves around her shoulders, embellished with a simple pearl headband. Her mother insisted Mary look her best for her first day, a sentiment that Mary agreed with. She felt confident, sure, but no amount of confidence would erase her nerves. 

She grabbed her backpack and zipped up her sleek black platform boots before heading out the door to the car her mother insisted on her taking. If it were up to Mary, she’d walk, given the manageable distance to her new school and the fact that she loved to be outside whenever possible. But Marie had insisted on a driver taking her, for now, at least. 

Mary slid into the backseat and greeted the driver, a new hire that she was sure she’d get to know quite well soon. She stared out the window as they drove, passing remodeled brownstones and sprawling towers, and before she knew it they were right in front of her new school. 

The building was impressively large, both historic and modern, and clearly marked with gold-plated lettering just above the main entryway: _Académie de Fontainebleau_ . A subscript below read the school’s motto, _labor omnia vincit;_ Mary knew from the latin her mother insisted she learn that this translated to “work conquers all”, a fitting motto for a school so well known for its rigor. A nervous chill ran down her spine at the thought. 

Everything about the school was impressive, and her fears about not being adequate were intensified the moment she saw the building. Students streamed in, chattering amongst themselves about their summer breaks and their vacations, dressed in clearly expensive clothes and carrying airs of privilege and greatness about them. Mary stared at the glamorous faces of the teens that would soon be her classmates and tried to ignore the wave of nausea that ran through her. 

“Miss Stuart?” the driver spoke as he turned around to face her, a look of concern on his face. 

Mary blushed when she realized that she had been dawdling for too long, evident by the line of cars that had accumulated behind them. 

“Oh, sorry!” she breathed out apologetically. “I’ll go now.” 

She had to will herself to grab her things and open the door. If it were up to her, she’d stay in the comfort and safety of the car for much longer, but that clearly wasn’t an option. 

“I’ll pick you up after your practice, miss.” the driver said as she slid out of the car. 

“Sounds great,” Mary said with a weak smile. “And call me Mary, please!” 

“Okay then, Mary.” the driver replied with a smile. “Have a great first day.” 

Mary thanked him before turning to face the entrance. 

_This is it,_ she thought to herself. _It’s time to be brave now._

Those words echoed in her mind as she stepped through the doors of the Academie de Fontainebleau, determined to face the new challenges with grace and grit. 

  
  


…………

Francis settled into his seat for his first class, AP Government, just as the bell rang. As his classmates chattered around him, he mourned the fact that within a matter of minutes, he was back into his school routine, as if he had never left. At least he had this class with his older brother, Bash, who was starting his senior year that year. A sigh escaped his lips as the professor hushed the class and began to take roll. 

Professor Deveraux began to read off the names, and before long he had gotten to the Ds, warranting an unenthusiastic “ _here_ ” from Bash. Francis let his mind wander, knowing he wouldn’t be called until the very end. Before long, the professor had reached the end of the roll, and Francis was called. 

Just as the lecture was about to begin, the sound of the creaky door cut into the silence like a knife. The person entering was clearly trying to do so quietly, but was betrayed by the squeaky hinges. The whole class turned around at the interruption. 

Francis followed suit, and when he directed his attention to the door he was granted with quite a surprising sight. It was a girl he’d never seen before, and a girl who was impossibly beautiful. She had dark, smooth hair that fell in waves down her back, wide, sparkling hazel eyes, and plump lips accentuated with a deep red lipstick. Her thin waist and soft curves were accentuated in the high waist of her plaid skirt, and Francis’s eyes nearly popped out of his head when his gaze traveled downward and he saw that her skirt gave way to a pair of smooth, long, and toned legs that threatened to make any man drool. 

He was clearly not the only one impressed by her presence. 

“Who is _that?_ ” Bash said under his breath to Francis, curiosity evident in his tone. 

A silence fell over the whole class as they watched the girl frantically look for an open seat, a predicament that made even the most composed person feel awkward. Unfortunately for her, the only open seat was right at the front. When she realized it, she seemed to wince slightly before letting a steely resolve settle over her face as she started walking towards the front of the class. 

She walked right past Francis, and he swore she was even more beautiful up close. As she passed he caught a whiff of her perfume and the warm scent of lilies and clean laundry filled his nose. 

Professor Deveraux looked at the girl expectantly, slightly annoyed, and cleared his throat. She bit her lip as she spoke to him. 

“I’m so sorry I’m late. I’m new here, and I got lost.” 

The professor’s gaze softened. “It’s alright. Don’t let it happen again.” 

The girl looked relieved that she wasn’t being scolded. 

“And you are?” he asked, looking down at his roll sheet. 

“I’m Mary. Mary Stuart.”

Mary's outfit inspiration: 

Some ideas of what their school might look like: 

The Marymount School of New York, Upper East Side

The Dakota Apartment Building, NYC


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mary finishes out her first day at her new school, and Francis gets to see her talent at her gymnastics practice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Thank you so much for reading! I'm absolutely ecstatic that people are interested in this and have taken the time to read and comment! 
> 
> A few notes: I chose gymnastics for Mary because I think that the discipline, power, and grace of the sport fit her very well. I'm not a gymnast, but I'll do my best to represent her and the sport!

Francis’s breath caught in his chest upon hearing her name. _That_ was Mary? _His_ Mary, his childhood friend? She had certainly grown up into quite a stunner. 

As he gazed at her out of the corner of his eye, he was surprised he hadn’t recognized her before. She had the same long, dark locks, the same porcelain skin with a smattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks, and when she cracked a smile at something the professor said, he saw the same glimmer of mischief he remembered from his childhood. She had remainders of her younger features, now polished and refined, but still remainders nonetheless. 

Throughout the class period, Francis was distracted; he could barely keep his eyes off of her. He had the good sense to at least _try_ to be discreet, but there was something about her that drew him in like a moth to a flame. 

Despite it being the first day, Professor Deveraux was jumping right into the material. He immediately launched into a lecture on the Articles of Confederation, and did not hesitate to ask questions as if the students knew the answers on the very first day of class. 

“Can anyone tell me some of the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?” he asked expectantly. 

The class was silent; after several awkward seconds, Francis watched as Mary tentatively raised her hand, and was immediately called on. 

“There was no central executive power,” she said. “States were only weakly associated with each other, and the federal government lacked the power to tax citizens directly. States could also tax and print money, as well as make foreign treaties. Overall, it was very unorganized and disjointed.”

“That is correct,” the professor said before launching into a more detailed explanation. 

Francis was not the only student that was impressed by her detailed answer; several students looked at her curiously, including Bash. The latter realization sent a strange pang of jealousy through Francis, which surprised him. 

Mary continued to answer questions eloquently and impressively, a fact made even more meaningful by the fact that no other students were able to volunteer answers. She was quickly establishing herself as a force to be reckoned with. 

To Francis’s surprise, Mary was in nearly all of his classes throughout the day. She popped up in his Calculus, AP Biology, and Advanced English Literature classes, continuing to impress the professors and the other students with her intellect. 

She seemed to be absent during lunch, a fact that he was slightly embarrassed that he noticed so quickly. 

“Are you looking for someone?” Olivia had said incredulously as he had tried to nonchalantly scan the room for her signature dark hair. 

“What? No,” Francis had replied, and turned his attention back to his friends. 

He didn’t know why he was so intrigued by her, nor did he know exactly how he would introduce himself to her. How do you introduce yourself to someone that you technically already know, but realistically really don’t know? The thought made him a little nervous, though he didn’t care to admit it. 

………

  
  


To Mary’s surprise, the day passed by quicker than she’d expected. She enjoyed her classes so far--thankfully, she seemed to be more than prepared for the material than she thought she would be. She even spoke up and answered questions, which took a lot of guts at first, but got easier with time. Her mantra echoed through her mind each time she tentatively raised her hand-- _it’s time to be brave now_. She wasn’t about to let her fears and worries prevent her from being her best self.

By far the most worrisome part of her day was lunch. After the strain the morning had taken on her, with all the courage she had had to summon, she felt too drained to face the jungle that was the cafeteria. Instead of facing the awkwardness of trying to find a place to sit without knowing a single soul, she opted to eat elsewhere. Mary wandered the halls until she found an empty corner of the third floor, tucked away at the end of a corridor. She slumped against the wall and sat on the floor before pulling her lunch out of her bag to eat. 

As she ate, she pulled out her phone to distract herself from her loneliness. She opened up the messages app, but stopped when she realized she had no one to text, save her mother and her half brother, James. It felt weird to text her old friends from California, friends who had already started moving on. The realization sent a pang of loneliness through her. 

She could at least update her mom on her day so far. 

**Mary** : _Everything is going good so far! Classes are great._

**Momma Stuart:** _Good to hear, my princess. Have you said hello to Francis yet?_

Mary rolled her eyes at her mom’s response. 

**Mary:** _Not yet, but I’m sure I’ll run into him soon._

**Momma Stuart:** _I’m sure you’re right. Keep up the good work, I’ll see you at home._

**Mary:** _See you then :)_

Mary sighed and rested her head on the wall behind her, reclining her neck. Her loneliness was never more apparent than now. 

For the rest of the lunch period, she scrolled through instagram mindlessly, and before she knew it, the bell rang to signal for the next class. She packed up her things quickly to avoid the rush of students that was already trickling in. 

  
  


……….

  
  


Mary kept her head high for the rest of the day, putting on her bravest face. Once the school day was over, she headed towards the locker rooms to change for her first official practice at her new program. She only had to ask for directions _twice_ , and she was proud of herself for that. 

She hurried to change into her gear, pulling out her favorite practice leo that she had packed for good luck and slipping it on, as well as a pair of oversized sweatpants to wear in the meantime. She slicked her hair back into a tight ponytail and secured it away from her face. Before long, it was time to head to practice, and she couldn’t delay the inevitable any longer. She followed the signs for the gymnastics facility and took a deep breath before entering the large, windowed room. 

Four girls were clustered around the cubbies, engrossed in their conversation as they spoke excitedly. The moment they noticed her they quieted, turning their attention towards her. 

Mary felt her heart start to beat faster and she tried not to let her nervousness show on her face. She reminded herself of her braveness mantra and took deep breaths as she feigned confidence, walking towards them nonchalantly. 

To her surprise, the girl with the long brown hair and olive skin stood up and walked over to her with a grin, extending her hand for a handshake. 

“You must be Mary!” she said excitedly as Mary shook her hand. She hoped her palms weren’t too clammy. 

“That’s me!” she replied with a smile that she hoped looked nonchalant. 

“I’m Kenna.” She gestured to the remaining girls behind her to come introduce themselves. 

“Greer,” the girl with the long, warm blonde hair and heart shaped face replied. 

“Hello,” Mary replied, mentally making a note of the names as her new teammates introduced themselves. 

“I’m Lola,” said the girl with the brown curls and wide, toothy grin. 

“Hi Lola,” she replied, smiling. 

The last girl spoke. “I’m Aylee! Welcome to Fontainebleau! We’re so excited that you’re here!” Aylee smiled as she wrapped Mary in a warm hug, surprising her at first. 

“So Mary, how was your first day?” Greer asked. 

“Good, so far,” Mary said, trying to sound convincing. “It’s overwhelming, but I think I’ll like it here.” 

“Oh, I’m glad.” Greer said, shooting her a genuine smile. 

“You excited to get into the thick of it today?” Kenna smirked. 

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Mary replied, earning a chuckle from the girls. 

“Coach Blackburn can be a little intimidating, but he’s a real softie. Don’t take him too seriously.” Lola said insistently as the girls moved to the bench to shed their sweats and shoes. 

“Noted,” Mary said appreciatively. 

“Well, Mary, you’re one of us now, and we’ve got your back no matter what.” Kenna told her, slinging an arm over her shoulders. 

“She’s right. You’re part of the Scots Squad now.” Lola said, raising an eyebrow. 

“Scots Squad? What’s that?” Mary asked. 

“It’s our informal team name,” Aylee started to explain. “We came up with it a few years ago when we realized all of us had a little Scottish ancestry.” 

Mary chuckled. “Well, I guess I’m in the right place, because my mom is Scottish!” 

“It’s meant to be!” Greer said, grinning. 

Mary felt warmth spread within her chest; never in her life had she made friends so quickly, or felt so at home with a group of people. Her nervous energy had quickly dissipated and was replaced by excitement. 

The girls finished up getting ready for practice as Coach Gideon Blackburn walked in. Mary recognized him from when he had scouted her months ago at a meet in California. 

“I see you’ve met our new member already?” he asked them, smiling. 

“Sure have. We’re practically best friends now.” Kenna smirked. 

“Well then we can skip the introductions! Up on the floor for stretches.” He chuckled as a teasing groan sounded from a few of the girls as they gathered on the mat to stretch out. 

“Greer, you lead warm up this time,” he nodded. 

“Will do,” she said, stepping in front of the other girls and launching into a series of warm up stretches and exercises. After they finished, Coach Blackburn had them run several laps around the gym to warm up their bodies. 

Mary jogged alongside her new teammates, smiling to herself as she thought of just how at home she felt with her new friends. Most gymnastics teams she’d been a part of before were insanely competitive and passive aggressive, but this new team seemed to support each other as if they were sisters. She hoped she was right in her early assessment. 

After they finished up and returned to the start to get instructions, Coach Blackburn spoke. 

“Well, team, are you ready to see what our newest member can do?” he looked expectantly at Mary, an encouraging smile on his face. 

Mary paled. She knew they would have to see her skills eventually, but she didn’t expect it to be so soon, and so on command. 

“Yes! Go Mary!” Kenna clapped, jumping up and down, and the other girls joined in almost immediately. 

“Yay Mary! You got this!” Aylee cheered. Mary cracked a small smile. 

“What do you want me to do?” she asked her coach. 

“Let’s leave it up to you. Dealer’s choice.” 

Mary nodded and bit her lip as she considered her options. It would arguably be quicker and safer to show them her vault, beam, or bars, but she knew she’d really shine in her floor routine. She always did. 

_Well, go big or go home_ , she told herself. “I’ll do floor,” she said, putting on a brave smile. She cued up her music and handed the coach her phone. 

“Good choice. Let’s see what you’ve got.” Coach Blackburn looked impressed at her choice. He plugged her phone into the aux cord and waited for her cue. 

Everyone gathered around the mat as Mary took her starting position. She nodded briefly at Coach Blackburn, indicating that he should start the music. Mary’s heart raced as the beginning notes of her music filled her ears. The full orchestra sound surrounded her, the flutes chiming and the drums barreling strongly. 

Despite hearing it thousands of times, Mary never tired of this music, or this routine. It was her favorite floor routine yet, choreographed for her by her old coach in California. They had carefully chosen a song from the Russian ballet “ _The Red Poppy,”_ and she felt graceful and strong when she did this routine. 

Today was no different. Mary felt completely in her element on the floor and she almost forgot that she had an audience. At that moment, it was just her and the mat as she soared through her first pass, a series of switch leaps and turns, her second pass, a dance sequence, her third and fourth passes, another dance phrase, and finally, her strongest pass yet, the fifth one. She breathed heavily as she struck her final pose, adrenaline rushing through her veins. 

For a moment, it was completely silent, and Mary looked at the team, afraid she had done something wrong. But then, they broke out into a raucous smattering of applause and cheers. 

“Pardon my French, but holy shit, Mary!” Kenna exclaimed, her jaw slack. 

“You didn’t tell us that she was _this_ good,” Lola said faux-incredulously to Coach Blackburn. 

“What can I say? There’s a reason we fought so hard to get her here.” Coach crossed his arms across his chest with a grin. 

Mary blushed, and not just from the exertion she’d just put her body through. She thought back to days ago when she feared that her skills wouldn’t be good enough for her new team, and smiled to herself slightly. She wasn’t just good _enough,_ they were actually quite impressed with her! Her heart surged with pride and relief. 

Despite having done this floor routine at multiple competitions and winning several awards from it, she thought to herself that this might actually be her favorite performance of it yet. 

  
  


………

  
  


Francis took the long way to the locker rooms after school, eager to have a moment to himself before practice. This route required him to pass by the large windows peering into the gymnastics gym. 

He walked silently, taking a few deep breaths to clear his head and enjoy the few minutes of relaxation he had. His relaxation was distracted when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye, in the gymnastics gym. He traced the source and saw that it was none other than Mary herself. 

He watched in awe as she positioned herself at one corner and launched into a complicated, graceful, and wildly impressive routine across the blue mat. He stood at the window, transfixed as he watched Mary soar through the air with the power of a stallion. She was positively mesmerizing. 

His reverie was broken when the music ended and she stood to greet her team, who all hugged her enthusiastically as they congratulated her on her outstanding performance. He tried to ignore the way his heart started to beat a little faster when he allowed himself to look at her more fully, every line and curve of her svelte body evident in her sleek black leotard. 

Francis raised his eyebrows and muttered to himself as he headed towards the locker rooms to get ready. At that point he knew he’d be running behind, which would most certainly earn him a scolding from his coach, especially since he was up for captain this year, but as he thought about Mary’s impressive display of power and grace, he knew that it was absolutely worth it. 

Mary's leotard (yes I'm aware that it's a kid's leo but i like it for her ok??):

Gymnastics gym inspo:

The routine I imagine Mary doing: (is this an olympic-level routine that medaled? yes, yes it is. is it realistic for a high school gymnast to be performing at this level? probably not. )

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSXKbQu-OLQ>


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Francis and Mary get to know each other again.

The next few days went smoothly for Mary. She settled into her classes and became fast friends with the other members of the Scots Squad. They had even invited her to sit with them at lunch, a fact that she was extremely grateful for, because she was not exactly keen on eating on the floor again. Within days, it felt like Mary had known them all for her entire life. 

She was so excited to have friends,  _ good  _ friends who cared about her and wanted her to succeed. The feeling was almost foreign to her, or at least a feeling she hadn’t felt in quite some time. She thanked her lucky stars for Kenna, Greer, Lola, and Aylee. They were truly a godsend, and had made her transition to a new school much, much easier. 

It was on the second day of classes that Mary saw Francis for the first time. On her first day, she had certainly noticed the handsome guy with the bright blue eyes and golden curls that seemed to be in almost all of her classes. With a face and a body like that, it was almost impossible not to. Imagine her surprise when, on the second day, that same guy had answered to the name “ _ Francis Valois _ ” during the morning roll! 

In her surprise at hearing his name, she had thoughtlessly whipped around at the source of the noise, accidentally making eye contact with Francis himself. His gaze bored into her and she could feel her insides turning to mush when he gave her a small smile. Thankfully, despite her stupor, she managed to return the smile before quickly turning around to face forward. 

“You’re blushing, Mary,” whispered Kenna, whom Mary was happy to learn was in her AP Government class and whom had quickly offered up the adjacent seat. 

“Am not!” Mary whispered back, but the heat rising to her cheeks told her that wasn’t the truth. 

“If you say so,” Kenna smirked. “I don’t blame you, Francis Valois is known as quite a catch around these parts.” 

“ _ Kenna!”  _ Mary whispered, embarrassed. “Someone will hear you!” 

Kenna only responded with a chuckle and turned her attention back to the front of the class. 

After the first period was over and the bell sounded, everyone got up to go, grabbing their things. Mary was taken by surprise when Kenna, without warning, grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her forward. Mary was confused at first, but followed willingly, until she saw where Kenna was leading her. It was too late to back away once she realized their course. 

“Francis!” Kenna called as they approached the blonde. “This is my friend Mary.” 

Mary tried to calm her pounding heart when he looked at her, smiling.  _ How is he even more gorgeous up close,  _ she thought to herself. 

“Hello Mary. It’s lovely to meet you.” Francis said as he extended his hand to her. She took it, once again praying for dry palms as she met his grip. She stifled a gasp when she made contact with his broad palm, a spark running through her as if she’d been shocked.

“Or should I say, it’s lovely to meet you  _ again. _ ” Francis grinned. “Mary and I were actually childhood friends, years ago.” 

“Really?” Kenna said, surprised. “You failed to mention that,  _ Mary _ .” She turned to her friend and playfully pumped her shoulder against her. 

Mary nervously replied. “It didn’t come up,” she insisted, before turning her attention back to Francis, who was surprisingly still holding her hand in his warm grasp. She casually pulled away, despite wanting to hold his hand for much longer. 

“Hello again, Francis. It’s good to see you,” Mary said with a smile, hoping she looked calm and confident, and not completely wracked with nerves like she felt inside. “You seem...bigger.” 

Francis chuckled. “Is that such a surprise?” 

Mary blushed, kicking herself for her awkward choice of words. “No,” she replied nervously. “Especially since your legs were always longer than mine. You know, I hated that when we were young. I was always chasing after you. But now--” Mary stalled, blushing. “Now it suits you.” 

He smiled at her, ignoring Kenna’s giggles. “Why thank you, Mary,” he replied. 

“I  _ believe  _ Mary has AP Bio next. You do too, don’t you Francis?” Kenna asked, her subtlety clearly lacking. “Why don’t you two walk together?” 

Mary quickly shot her friend a look, embarrassed. 

“I think that’s a great idea, Kenna.” Francis said. “Especially because you’re probably still learning the layout of the school, right?” he asked, gesturing for her to walk with him. 

“Yeah, it’s a bit confusing, I have to admit.” Mary replied with an anxious smile. She could practically feel Kenna’s smirking gaze on her back as they began to walk. 

“So how do you like it here so far?” Francis asked, turning to her as they left the classroom and began navigating the halls. 

“It was overwhelming at first, but I’m feeling better now. Especially since my new teammates have been so nice to me.” Mary admitted. 

“Oh good! Yeah, I’ve known most of the gymnastics girls for a long time, they’re all awesome.” 

“I like them a lot already,” Mary said. 

“I’m glad.” Francis replied, looking to her and shooting her a wide smile that was surprisingly genuine. Mary felt her heart skip a beat when he smiled at her, so directly, and so close; she couldn’t stop herself from thinking about how  _ dreamy _ he was. 

“Mary, it’s…” he began, rubbing at the back of his neck as he spoke. “It’s really nice to see you again. You know, after all these years.” 

“It’s nice to see you too, Francis,” Mary said with a warm smile on her face, because it was, it really was nice. 

“I was excited when my mom told me that you go here, because I figured that I’d at least know one person at my new school,” Mary admitted. “I mean, I know it’s been forever, and obviously we’re both grown now, but I still thought I could count that as knowing you, do you know what I mean? Wow, I just said know, like, a million times.” She could barely stop the words that spilled from her lips; sometimes when she was nervous, she had a bad habit of babbling a little. 

“I think we can definitely count it as knowing each other,” Francis said with a chuckle. “I mean, I’m pretty sure we bathed together a few times.” 

Mary blushed at the thought, and she thought she could see a hint of embarrassment on Francis’s face as well. “I suppose you’re right,” she added. “Well, I’m glad to say that I know you, Francis Valois.” She turned to him and smiled. 

“Back at you, Mary Stuart.” Francis said with a grin, bumping his shoulder against hers lightly. They were nearing their next classroom, and they lingered by the doorway to keep talking. “Hey, uhh, do you have plans tonight?” he asked. 

Mary felt her heart catch in her chest when she fully processed what he had said. “I have practice after school, but nothing after that,” she replied, attempting to sound nonchalant. 

“Do you want to come over to my house for dinner? I’m sure my family would love to see you again.” 

“That sounds like fun!” she replied. “I’ll have to double check with my mom, but I’m sure she’ll be okay with it!”

“Cool,” Francis said. “Why don’t you give me your phone and I’ll put my number in so you can let me know?” 

Mary reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone, unlocked it, and set up a new contact for Francis. He took it from her and began to enter his number, and Mary felt another spark when their hands made contact for the briefest of seconds. Before long, he handed it back to her. 

“I texted myself from your phone so I have your number too, I hope that’s alright.” Francis said. 

“Oh, yeah, for sure!” Mary replied as she put her phone in her pocket again. “Should we…” Mary gestured to the open door. 

“Oh! Yeah, we should probably go to class. Might be a good idea since we’re in school and all.” Francis grinned, following her through the doorway. 

Mary took a seat towards the middle of the class, and to her surprise, Francis sat next to her. 

“This okay?” he asked, gesturing to his seating choice. 

“Absolutely!” Mary replied with a slight exhale. She had responded so quickly and she worried that she sounded too enthusiastic, but she couldn’t help it. With Francis, it was so hard to be nonchalant. Everything about him, everything that he did excited her, made her heart start beating faster and her cheeks flush. 

As the professor quieted the class, preparing to start, Mary had a thought.  _ What did he text himself?  _ She pulled out her phone under the desk to check quickly before class began, and quickly opened the messages app to see what he had written. 

_ Hey Francis, it’s your old bff, Mary. Remember me? Anyway, just popping in to say that you’re awesome.  _

Mary grinned to herself at his text, chuckling under her breath. Just as she was about to pocket her phone once more, she saw the typing bubble pop up, followed shortly after by a message from him. 

_ Oh hello, Mary. Yes, I remember you! And I think you’re pretty awesome, too. _

Mary blushed and looked up at him. Her gaze was met with a wink from Francis, just as the professor began to speak. 

  
  


……..

Francis didn’t think he’d ever been so excited for football practice to be over. He loved football, he did; it was fun to play on a team with his friends, and he would be lying if he said that he didn’t enjoy the spectacle and praise that came with being the quarterback and the bonafide team MVP. But on that particular day, being done with football practice meant one thing: he got to see Mary. 

When the practice finally did come to a close, he rushed to get his things and head home, hoping to get a solid shower in so that he wouldn’t smell like B.O. and wet dog when Mary came over. Thankfully, he made it home in good time and was able to get a good shower in, even leaving enough time to blow dry his hair, something he didn’t usually do. When Claude had heard the blow dryer, she came to investigate, and teased him incessantly about how he was getting all spiffed up for Mary’s visit.

He chose his clothes carefully, wanting to look put-together but also casual, and not as if he had dressed up in his own home strictly for her. He opted for a gray striped sweater that made his shoulders look particularly broad, paired with a pair of olive green distressed khaki pants. As he was adjusting his sleeves in the mirror, debating whether to roll them up or not, Bash came in, resting against the doorframe with his arms crossed across his chest. 

“I’d roll them up,” he interjected. “Girls love a good forearm.” 

Francis blushed. “Oh, uh...thanks.” 

“Anytime, little brother.” Bash grinned. “Does Olivia know that Mary is coming over?” 

Francis bit his lip. “No, I didn’t think it was important to tell her. It’s not like it’s a date or anything.” 

“I dunno, man. You know Olivia, she’s kind of the jealous type.” 

He sighed. “If I tell you something, promise you won’t tell anyone?” 

“Of course. What’s up?” 

“I’m planning on breaking up with Olivia.” Francis admitted. 

Bash rose his eyebrows, a surprised look on his face. “You’re kidding me!” 

“No, I’m not. I’ve been thinking about it for a while now, actually, and I just think it’s time.” 

“This doesn’t have anything to do with a certain new student, does it?” Bash smirked. 

“Shut up.” Francis punched his brother on the shoulder. “It doesn’t, I swear. I made this decision weeks ago.” 

“But being single so you could go after a certain someone is certainly a plus,” Bash teased. Francis glared at his brother. “Come one, dude, I see the way you look at her in AP Gov.” 

“What do you want me to say?” Francis sighed. “I’m not going to say I’m not interested in her, but I don’t think she sees me like that.” 

“I dunno, man. Don’t count yourself out just yet.” Bash said with a chuckle before leaving the room. 

Francis took one last look at himself in the mirror, nervously adjusting his hair, before heading downstairs. And just in time, because only minutes after he did, the doorbell chimed. He hurried to the door before one of his siblings could answer it, knowing he wouldn’t be able to control how they reacted. 

When he opened it, he saw Mary standing there in a blush pink floral wrap dress, her toned legs once again on display. 

“Mary! You’re here!” he said. 

“I’m here!” Mary joked. “Is that such a surprise?” she chuckled. 

“No, no, not at all,” he said, running a hand through his curls. “Come in!”

Mary followed him into the courtyard and led her into the family room, showing her around as they went. 

“Wow, your house is beautiful,” she said, gazing around in awe. 

“Well, I can’t really take credit for that, but I’ll take the compliment anyways,” he smiled at her. 

All of a sudden, a blur of brown curls rushed up to them in a blur, taking them both by surprise.

“Mary, you’re here!” Claude said excitedly. “Do you remember me?” 

“I sure do,” Mary smiled, accepting Claude’s offer for a hug. She wrapped her arms around the girl. Claude then grabbed her hand and dragged her along. 

“Come on!” Claude said. “Let me show you around.” 

Mary appeased her, following the girl as she led her around their spacious, impeccably decorated home. Francis trailed behind them, chuckling as Claude excitedly gestured as she went. 

Once Claude deemed their tour over, they ended up in the family room again, but this time, Francis’s siblings were there, including Bash. Francis looked at his older brother with slight suspicion when he saw how Bash’s eyes were lingering a bit too long on Mary. 

“Mary, you remember my older brother, I’m sure,” Francis gestured to Bash. She smiled and gave him a slight wave. “And this is Charles. He was probably just a toddler when you last saw him.” He gestured to his preteen brother. 

“Then there’s Henry,” he said, and his little blonde brother waved enthusiastically. “And lastly, Margot.” The littlest Valois ran right up to Mary and gave her a hug, wrapping her small arms around Mary’s neck. 

“Hello, everybody.” Mary said with a wide smile. “Or, hello again, to those of you who I’ve met before.” 

Another voice chimed in, and Mary turned to look for the source. “Miss Mary Stuart, my how you’ve grown!” Catherine Valois said, her tone slightly cool. 

“Hello, Catherine,” Mary smiled, approaching the woman for a handshake. Catherine looked impressed, and shook her hand firmly. 

“Well, now that everyone is here, should we eat?” Catherine clapped her hands together. 

“Aren’t we going to wait for Mr. Valois?” Mary asked. Francis immediately shot her a nervous look. 

“Mr. Valois is a rare presence around this house, and we don’t usually mourn his lack of attendance.” Catherine said wryly, glaring at Mary slightly. 

“Oh, uh, I’m sorry.” Mary said, worried that saying the wrong thing had ruined her chances of gaining Catherine’s approval. 

The Valois matriarch led them into the dining room, which was already impeccably set, as if for a formal, special event dinner. 

Francis led Mary to a chair and then took a seat next to her, hoping his proximity would protect Mary from invasive questioning. He caught a whiff of her perfume again, and it made his head spin. 

Thankfully, dinner went smoothly, his siblings being better behaved than usual due to Mary’s presence. It turns out, though, Catherine was the one Francis needed to be worried about. 

“So, Mary, how is your  _ mother _ doing these days?” She asked, slightly passive aggressively. 

“She’s, um...good,” Mary replied. “She’s really enjoying New York City.” 

“Is that so? I seem to remember her spending most of her time away during your summers here.” Francis shot his mother a look, which she promptly ignored. 

Mary paused, and Francis could tell that she was unsure of how to respond. After a few seconds, she spoke, her tone calm and even. “Well, I think she was busier back then.” 

“I’m not sure if  _ busier _ is the right word, darling.” Catherine remarked. 

“ _ Mother!”  _ Francis said in exasperation. 

“Oh, don’t get worked up. I was only joking.” She insisted. “Well Mary, we’re glad to have you here. Why don’t you tell us about your athletic career...acrobatics, was it?” 

“ _ Gymnastics, _ mom.” Francis interjected. 

“Oh, uh, yes. I’m a gymnast.” Mary replied. “I do all the events, but my favorite is the floor routine.” 

“Is that the one where you do all the flips?” Margot asked excitedly. 

“Well, technically all of them have flips. But yes, there are lots of flips in a floor routine.” Mary said, smiling at the young girl. 

“Can you show us something?” Henry asked, excited at the prospect of seeing a cool trick. 

“I would if I weren’t wearing a dress,” Mary replied, giving him an apologetic smile. 

“Well, next time you come over, you’ll have to show us.” Claude said, very matter-of-factly, as she stabbed at her broccoli on her plate. 

Francis looked at Mary and caught her gaze. They smiled at each other slightly. 

“Now that I can do,” Mary said to the group. 

To Francis’s relief, the rest of the dinner went by without any snags, save for a few more quips from his mother. To his surprise, though, Mary replied with poise and strength each time, refusing to show any signs of weakness, proving herself to be a formidable opponent to his opinionated mother. 

After dinner, some of the younger kids asked to play a board game, and Francis turned to Mary. 

“What do you think? Do you want to play?” Francis asked. 

“I’m down!” Mary said with a grin. 

Francis, Mary, Margot, Henry, and Claude launched into a rousing game of monopoly. Little Margot teared up when she landed in jail, but Mary calmed her down almost immediately, leaning down to whisper something in her little ear. Francis didn’t catch what she said, but whatever it was, it worked, because Margot cracked a wide smile and giggled. 

After the game, Francis and Mary, accompanied by Bash, Claude, and Charles, headed into the theater room and watched a movie. Mary sat between Francis and Claude, and the two girls whispered to each other back and forth throughout the movie, giggling. Francis was glad to see Claude getting along with Mary; the girl had very few positive female role models, and as a brand-new freshman in high school, he knew role models were important. 

As the movie played, he tried not to focus on how Mary’s bare knee and lower thigh rested lightly against his own leg. He also tried to limit the amount of times he looked over at her, glancing at her beautiful profile, illuminated by the lights of the screen. 

Around 10:30, Mary told him that it was probably time for her to go home, and Francis walked her to the door. 

“Is someone picking you up?” He asked, glancing outside. 

“Oh, I walked. I live just a few blocks down,” she gestured down the street. 

“It’s late, you shouldn’t walk alone. Can I walk you home?” Francis asked. 

“I’m okay, really, you don’t have to,” Mary said. 

“No, really, I’d like to.” He replied, smiling at her. 

“Well alright then.” Mary returned his smile, and he followed her out the door and down the street. 

They walked together in the dim light, illuminated by the street lamps and the glowing light of the moon. The moonlight reflected on Mary’s dark, smooth hair, and made her eyes sparkle. Francis watched her, unable to take his eyes off of her. 

After a few short blocks, Mary gestured to a brownstone, framed by trees. “This is me,” she said. 

Francis couldn’t help but wish she lived a little further, so he could’ve walked with her a little longer. 

“Thanks for inviting me over,” she said. “It was really nice to see your family after all these years.” 

“We loved having you,” Francis smiled at her. “You were quite a hit with the younger ones, especially.” 

“At least someone does,” Mary grimaced. “I’m pretty sure your mom hates me!” 

“She doesn’t hate you, she just...takes a little time to get to know fully.” 

Mary laughed. “Well in that case, maybe I still stand a chance.” 

Silence fell over them, and Mary reached up to sweep a lock of hair behind her ear. Francis met her gaze and they looked at each other for a little too long. 

“I should get inside, it’s late.” Mary said, biting her lip. 

“Of course. Have a good night, Mary. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Francis said. 

“See you tomorrow.” She smiled at him before heading up the steps and heading inside. He waited until she was safely inside before starting back home, his hands in his pockets and a smile on his face. 

Francis's outfit: 

Mary's outfit: 

The house I envision as the Valois residence (IRL it's the St. Mellon house, built for Bunny and Paul Mellon in the 60s. It's the closest I could find to a true mansion in the upper east side!) 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bad Francis, flirting when he still has a girlfriend! Don't worry, I'll remedy that soon. ;)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> some good old fashioned ~pining~

The next morning, before class, Francis was at his locker, grabbing his things before class. As he did so, Olivia walked up. 

He turned to her, and was surprised to see a heartbroken expression on her face. She had bags under her eyes that made it clear that she hadn’t slept much the night before, and she looked thoroughly emotionally drained. 

“What’s wrong?” Francis said, alarmed. 

Olivia’s lip quivered, and tears accumulated in her eyes, threatening to spill over. Without warning, she threw her arms around him and buried her face in his neck. Francis held her as she shook slightly, holding onto him like he was her anchor in a storm. 

Other students buzzed around them, rushing to their classes, and Francis realized that he should probably remove her from the public eye. In her state of emotion, she didn’t seem to care, but they were already drawing attention from other students walking by, and Francis knew that Olivia wouldn’t want to be seen like this. 

He pulled away from their hug and reached down to grab her hand. With his other hand he shut his locker, and he gently pulled her along with him, into an alcove where no one seemed to be congregating. 

Francis held Olivia’s face in his hands and looked into her watery eyes. 

“Olivia,” he said gently. “What’s going on?” 

She paused slightly before speaking. “My parents,” she sobbed, her chest heaving slightly. “My parents are getting divorced.” 

“Oh Olivia, I’m so sorry,” he said, wrapping her in a hug again. She clung tightly to him, and he held her until her tears subsided. 

Francis listened to her talk, explaining that she had found out just this morning, and on accident, no less. He soothed her until she had calmed down, and then he walked her to her class. 

As he walked to his own classroom, significantly late, he sighed and rubbed his eyes with the heel of his palms. After the evening he’d had with Mary last night, he was planning on breaking up with Olivia that day. But he couldn’t now, not after the news she’d just received. He couldn’t kick her while she was already down. 

He sighed and composed himself before opening the door to the classroom as quietly as he could. When it creaked loudly, he had a newfound sympathy for Mary and her predicament on the first day of class, betrayed by that very door. 

“You’re late, Valois,” Professor Deveraux said, shooting him a punishing look. 

“I’m very sorry, sir. I had an emergency.” Francis replied as he tried to take a seat as quick as possible. 

“Two more and it’s detention,” the professor replied before returning to his lecture. 

Both Bash and Mary turned to look at him, concerned. He met Bash’s gaze, and his brother raised his eyebrows and mouthed  _ you okay? _

Francis nodded, and Bash, still looking unconvinced, turned back to the front. 

As for Mary, he avoided her gaze, pretending he didn’t see her. Looking at her right now would only make it hurt more, knowing he couldn’t have her, at least not now. After a few seconds, she too turned forward. 

Part of him wanted to take the easy way out and break up with Olivia soon anyway. It would certainly be the choice that made him happy, but at what cost to Olivia? While he didn’t love her anymore, he still cared about her, and he didn’t want to hurt her any more than was absolutely necessary. 

So, he resigned to stick it out with her for a while longer, determined to be a good person. But as he looked at Mary in her seat across the room, with her long dark waves cascading over her shoulder and part of her delicate, smooth neck on display, he realized it was going to be a lot more difficult than he’d initially thought. 

……….

  
  


Mary felt slightly out of it for the rest of her morning classes; Francis, who she’d seen less than 24 hours ago, seemed to be avoiding her. She wondered if she had done something wrong, something to offend him. 

_ Or maybe _ , she thought,  _ maybe I’m reading into it. _ She couldn’t possibly expect him to be best of friends with her again after only a few days. And it wasn’t like he owed her anything, certainly not his attention. But still, she felt a little slighted by him. 

Mary knew that her feelings for him were veering out of “just friends” territory. It hadn’t taken long for her to realize that he could never be  _ just a friend _ for her. She was crushing on him, hard, and she was pretty sure that she’d never be able to get rid of her crush, even if she wanted to. 

She was so very  _ into  _ him. She couldn’t deny the magnetic pull she felt towards him, the desire she had to run her hands through his hair and sprinkle kisses across the column of his throat. She wondered what he’d taste like, his lips, his skin. He was completely and utterly  _ gorgeous _ , and Mary felt herself being pulled between the simultaneous desires to a), stare at him, frozen, for hours, memorizing every inch of his perfect face, or b),to avoid wasting a single second and to press her lips against his, to devour him, to feel what it felt like to be in his arms. 

After last night, when she’d spent hours with him and his family, enjoying his company without the pressures of school, she felt her feelings deepen to more than just physical attraction. She felt so comfortable with him, as if all those years apart had never happened, as if they’d magically resumed their childhood closeness now. As she spent time with him in such a  _ domestic  _ setting, she couldn’t help but imagine them together, in a home of their own someday, making pancakes for their kids and giving each other sweet kisses several times a day. She had shaken the thought almost as soon as it had popped into her head, wondering where such an idea had come from in the first place. 

She could’ve sworn she felt a mutual spark, though. She’d caught him looking at her one too many times with a slight sense of longing in his eyes, and when their knees brushed during the movie, she had felt his whole body tense. But maybe she was reading into it. 

And maybe her feelings for him was the reason she was reading so much into his behavior today. 

When the lunch bell rolled around, she took her seat with her teammates, a seat which was quickly becoming her usual spot. She couldn’t deny that it felt pretty damn good to have  _ friends _ , to have a  _ friend group _ , something she’d never experienced before. She’d only been at her school for a week, but she already felt like she was part of the family. 

“Hey guys,” she greeted with a smile. 

“Hey Stuart,” Kenna said, shooting her finger guns. 

Mary greeted each of her new friends and joined their conversation; they were talking about ideas for their new team competition leos, and quite enthusiastically. 

“Rhinestones are  _ tacky _ , Aylee!” Greer insisted. 

“No they’re not! They make you shine!” Aylee replied, making sparkle fingers as she spoke. 

“If we’re doing what we should be doing, our talent will shine for itself.” Lola added. 

“Alright, why don’t we vote? Rhinestones, or no rhinestones?” Mary drew everyone’s attention.

“I vote yes rhinestones.” Kenna interjected. “I think they’re fun.” 

“Obviously I’m also yes rhinestones,” Aylee added. 

“I vote no.” Greer said. 

“It’s a no for me, too.” Lola replied. 

“Great, a tie.” Kenna sighed. “Mary, you’re the tiebreaker. What do you think?” 

Mary sighed. “Honestly, I don’t really mind either way.” 

“You  _ have  _ to vote!” Lola insisted. 

“Come on, vote for sparkles!” Aylee bounced in her seat. 

“No, vote to make us  _ not _ look like cheap stick-on earrings,” Greer retorted. 

Mary bit her lip and paused for a few seconds. “I vote no rhinestones, but yes to glitter.” 

Kenna sighed exaggeratedly and Greer and Lola smiled as they high-fived each other. 

“Alright, I feel like glitter is an okay compromise.” Aylee gave her a small smile. 

“What about color scheme?” Mary asked. 

“That is a discussion for another day,” Kenna added. “I think I’ve had enough clothing talk for today.” 

Greer snorted. “And that’s saying something, because you  _ love  _ clothes.” 

“What can I say? I’m a woman of simple pleasures.” Kenna tossed her hair facetiously. 

Mary couldn’t help but smile as she continued to talk to her friends, basking in the feeling of being a part of something. 

After a few minutes, she instinctively looked around for Francis. She spotted him almost immediately, his floppy blonde curls hard to miss. As she looked at him, she realized that he had his arm around someone. Not just anyone, a  _ girl.  _

She had long blonde waves, a tall, waif-like frame, and was absolutely gorgeous. She was resting her head on Francis’s shoulder, and the gesture was surprisingly intimate. Mary felt her stomach drop. 

She turned back to her friends. “Guys, um…” she paused. “Who’s the girl with Francis?” 

“That’s his girlfriend, Olivia.” Aylee said, without even needing to look up. 

Mary was startlingly quiet, and her friends looked up at her in confusion. 

“You okay?” Lola asked. 

“Oh yeah, I’m fine,” Mary said, hoping she sounded convincing. 

“Then why are you being so quiet right now? And why does your face look like you’re definitely not fine?” Greer said, her eyebrows raised. 

“She’s crushing on Francis.” Kenna smirked. 

“Am not!” Mary insisted, but her blush gave her away. 

“It’s perfectly understandable,” Aylee added. “He is quite handsome.” 

“Whatever,” Mary said, avoiding eye contact by looking down at her plate. 

“Hey, I say go for it.” Kenna insisted. 

“But he has a  _ girlfriend! _ ” Mary whispered, suddenly aware that they were talking much too loudly for a conversation about a classmate. 

“Doesn’t mean he couldn’t be swayed.” Kenna smirked at her and raised her eyebrows suggestively. 

“Guys, we’re just friends.” Mary insisted, rolling her eyes. 

“If you say so.” Greer replied with a small grin. 

Before long the conversation turned to something different, and Mary felt like she could finally exhale now that she was off the hook. 

She couldn’t ignore the way her stomach felt like lead, though. She felt foolish, allowing herself to entertain the possibility that their friendship could develop into more. Why would it, why would he feel that way for her when he had  _ Olivia _ . Olivia, with her perfect hair and her perfect body and her perfect everything. Mary felt so small, so pathetic in comparison. 

She willed herself not to cry, not to shed tears over a childhood friend who she only started having feelings for mere days ago.  _ Save it for home _ , she thought to herself. 

That evening, when Mary got home from practice and shed her clothes to wash the sweat and grime off of her, she allowed herself to cry. 

She cried big, fat, angry tears, and they slid down her face, mixing with the hot water from the showerhead. She cried until the tears and the water were indistinguishable. She didn’t just cry over Francis, she cried over her own stupidity. She had allowed herself to think of him romantically almost right away, and she’d even entertained the possibility of them being together. How foolish she felt. 

When she finished showering, she reached for a towel and buried her face in its plush fibers. She wiped her face clean of water and tears and stepped out, wrapping herself in the towel. She looked at herself in the fogged-up mirror, swiping away the condensation on the surface so she could properly see her reflection. 

_ That’s all you get, _ she told herself.  _ No more crying about him. That was it.  _

She looked at her reflection with a steely look in her eyes, and told herself what she’d been telling herself for days:  _ it’s time to be brave.  _

  
  


………

  
  


Mary pushed herself through the second week of school, focusing her efforts entirely on her classes, gymnastics, and the extracurriculars that would be starting up the following week. She found that the busier she kept herself, the easier it was to ignore her feelings for Francis. 

But it was  _ hard _ . He was in nearly all of her classes, and he often walked alongside her, making conversation as they went. She tried to force herself to think of him as a friend, and only a friend, but whenever she looked at his face or talked to him or heard him laugh, she felt her feelings for him grow a little more each time. 

The following week, when extracurriculars started up again, Mary went eagerly to the opening meetings. She’d picked Model UN, Student Council, and Future Business Leaders of America. She thought three clubs might be a little overkill, but her mom had insisted. 

Model UN was first, meeting before school on a Tuesday. She walked into the room with a spring in her step, only to find none other than Francis already there. Apparently, he was quite the Model UN veteran, one of the best in the club.  _ It figures, _ she thought to herself.  _ He’s good at everything _ . 

When she dragged Greer with her to the Future Business Leaders of America meeting on Wednesday during lunch, begging her friend not to leave her alone, she was again surprised to see Francis there, too. He shot her a smile when she walked in, which she politely returned. 

Student council met on Fridays after school, which worked because she didn’t have practice after school on Fridays. That whole day, she crossed her fingers and prayed that he wouldn’t be in that club too, because she did  _ not  _ need another hour of fighting her feelings. But lo and behold, he was there, because  _ of course _ Francis was in student council. He was popular, smart, and very well-liked; a natural leader, and she should’ve known he’d be the first one there. 

That Friday evening, she headed over to a sleepover at Kenna’s house. Her home was massive, which should’ve been unsurprising, since most Academie students came from wealth, but she still found herself oohing and ahhing at the architecture and decor. 

The evening was spent laughing, gossiping, and making memories with her new friends. She should’ve been ecstatic, and a large part of her was, but another part of her just couldn’t stop thinking about blonde curls, a wide smile, and the bluest eyes she’d ever seen. 

  
  


……….

  
  


“You done it yet?” Bash said, walking into the bonus room where Francis was flopped on the couch, scrolling mindlessly through his phone. 

“Not yet,” Francis replied with a groan. 

“Why not? Rip it off, like a bandaid.” Bash said as he sat down. 

“I can’t! She found out her parents are getting divorced, like, a week ago. She’s still really fragile.” 

“My parents were never even married in the first place, and look at me! I’m just fine.” Bash said, gesturing to himself. 

“It’s not the same, you know that.” Francis shoved his brother lightly. “She’s really broken up about it. And I can’t break up with her now, not when she’s feeling so shitty already.” 

“But putting it off is making  _ you  _ feel shitty, isn’t it.” Bash said knowingly. 

“I suppose so,” Francis replied with a sigh. 

“And Mary certainly isn’t helping that, either.” Bash smirked. 

_ No, no she is not, _ Francis thought to himself. 

He’d caught feelings for Mary basically the moment he saw her on the first day of school. Over the past two weeks, as they rekindled their friendship, Francis found himself growing closer to her than he was to anyone else, except maybe Bash. There was just something so easy, so natural about being around her. She made him feel like everything was going to be okay. 

It certainly didn’t help that she was probably the smartest, coolest, most gorgeous girl he’d ever known. Her whip-smart intellect never failed to impress him, and that only made him like her more. And she was so beautiful, with her dark waves, soft skin, big hazel eyes, and plush lips. He found himself staring at her more times than he cared to admit, but it was as if he physically couldn’t take his eyes off of her. 

Thankfully, Olivia hadn’t seemed to notice, yet. He hoped she wouldn’t, that he wouldn’t have to deal with that conundrum, and that he’d be able to break things off amicably with her without bringing Mary into it. 

He sighed again and replied to his brother. “She’s definitely not helping, okay?” He admitted. 

Bash looked at him with an uncharacteristic seriousness in his eyes. “Maybe it’s a sign. Maybe you’re not meant to be with Mary.” 

Francis narrowed his eyes. He couldn’t help but think that his brother was offering this advice from a place of self-interest; he’d seen how Bash looked at Mary, he wasn’t blind. 

But he didn’t have enough energy to pull at that string, not now. “Maybe,” he conceded. 

Their conversation drifted to different topics, and Francis was thankful for it. Talking about Mary made it more apparent that if he wanted even the slightest chance with her, he needed to break up with Olivia, and  _ soon _ . But he also didn’t want to hurt Olivia, a girl he’d known for most of his life and to whom he owed many happy memories. 

He wished there was a way to pursue Mary without hurting Olivia, but he knew no such way existed, and a pit settled in his stomach. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I put Greer in FBLA because she has a business in the show ;) 
> 
> As always, thank you so much for reading! Your comments make me want to keep writing!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soo much happening! We've got pining! We've got jealousy! We've got love triangles! We've got waffles!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you so much for reading!!!

It had been two weeks since Olivia found out her parents were getting divorced. She was still pretty broken up about it, and had been leaning on Francis more lately than ever before. One of the symptoms of her sadness was being especially physical with him, clinging to him and holding his hand more than usual. Every minute he spent with her, he felt awful for multiple reasons: he felt disingenuous, pretending to be the perfect boyfriend to Olivia when he was planning on breaking up with her. The second reason he felt awful was that he was falling for Mary more and more each day. 

He couldn’t help it, she was everything he’d ever wanted. He’d realized long ago that in a relationship, he wanted a partner, someone to push him to be better, someone to challenge him. The more time he spent with Mary, the more he realized that she was what he’d been looking for. Even now, as a mere junior in high school, he had the strangest feeling that Mary was someone that would be in his life for a very long time. 

  
  


……..

  
  


Mary was finishing up her third week at her new school, and she felt like she was finally getting the hang of things. 

She no longer felt especially intimidated by her classes, and she had found a strong friend group in Kenna, Lola, Greer, and Aylee. She was thriving on her gymnastics team, and everyone agreed that she was a very strong addition. In fact, Mary got the sense that she was the best athlete on the team, which didn’t matter much to her, but was still flattering nonetheless.

Francis’s avoidance of her had gradually eased, which confused Mary immensely, but made her happy, as well. In recent days they’d settled into a comfortable friendship, walking from classes together and sitting together in class. Mary found herself torn about their time spent together; on one hand, she really enjoyed his friendship, but on the other, it was painful to be around him and know that she couldn’t be more than his friend. 

Francis even spent time with her during their extracurriculars, as well. They’d both been assigned to the General Assembly, the most prestigious position, for the country their school was representing. The professor had made the call after announcing that they’d chosen France for the school to represent this year. She’d read out the assignments and Mary had been surprised to hear her name called for General Assembly. 

She’d expressed this to Francis once they split into their committees to start planning. 

_ “Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited to be in GA…” Mary said. “I’m just kind of surprised that he picked me. I mean, you were an obvious choice since you’ve been doing Model UN here for years. But I literally just moved here.”  _

_ “Are you kidding me, Mary?” Francis asked, a smirk on his face and his eyebrows raised. “You’re like, the smartest person here.”  _

_ “What? No I’m not.” Mary denied, blushing.  _

_ “Uh, yes. Yes you are.” Francis shot her a grin. “I’m sure he could see that. Plus, you have natural diplomacy skills, you’re a strong leader, and a creative problem solver. That makes you an obvious choice for representing us in the GA.”  _

_ Mary was silent, unsure of how to respond. She was sure her cheeks were thoroughly flushed by now.  _

_ “Francis, that’s…” she said, stunned. “That’s really nice of you to say.”  _

_ “I’m only telling the truth,” Francis grinned as he leaned back and propped his feet up on the desk in front of him.  _

_ “You’re pretty smart yourself, Valois.” Mary teased.  _

_ “Well, obviously,” Francis joked, his face breaking out into a wide smile that showed slight dimples on his cheeks. Mary had never noticed that before, and she was surprised.  _

_ “You have dimples!” she blurted out.  _

_ “I do indeed,” Francis said. “They only come out on special occasions.”  _

_ “Like what?”  _

_ “Like when I’m with you.”  _

  
  


Conveniently, Mary and Francis were also assigned to pair together in FBLA, where they were tasked to come up with a business proposal and provide a first-year analysis of their product. As soon as they started planning, they quickly snowballed into a full-on brainstorm session, and were firing off ideas back and forth, feeding on each other’s energy. 

  
  


_ “Okay, we need to identify a need to be filled, and build our project around that.” Mary said as she clicked her pen and poised it over the page, prepared to jot down ideas.  _

_ “A need to be filled….” Francis trailed off, furrowing his brows in concentration. “Okay, I have one. The cafeteria food here sucks, and only upperclassmen are allowed to go off campus for lunch. We could do a food stand or cart or something?”  _

_ “I like it,” Mary said, jotting it down. “Let’s keep going.”  _

_ “Okay, this one is kind of random, but what about an app that tells you the names and images of children reported missing in your area? So it’s all in one place and people can be on the lookout more?”  _

_ Mary scribbled it down. “I have one,” she said. “How about an app or directory or something for people to find doctors that are sensitive to certain topics? For example, doctors that are allies for LGBTQ+ patients, or doctors who provide trauma sensitive care for survivors of sexual assault.”  _

_ Francis looked at her in admiration, taking her aback for a few seconds.  _

_ “What?” she asked.  _

_ “You’re just really awesome, you know that?” he said to her, a more serious look in his eyes than she was used to seeing.  _

_ “Thanks,” Mary said quietly. “I think you’re awesome, too.” She looked down at her notepad and busied herself with taking notes in order to avoid his gaze.  _

_ After a few more seconds, Francis seemed to snap out of it. “Alright, here’s one. How about a food redistribution program? To combat food scarcity and hunger. We could collect unsold items from grocery stores and bakeries and stuff, and then distribute them to people in need in the area.”  _

_ Mary grinned at him. “I like it,” she said, writing it down.  _

_ They went back and forth, exchanging ideas for the remainder of the lunch period, and both were startled by the bell.  _

_ “Wow,” Mary said. “That went by fast.”  _

_ Francis nodded in agreement and they both gathered their things before walking to their next class, which they conveniently shared.  _

  
  


……...

  
  


Francis and Mary’s substantial amounts of time spent together were not lost on anyone, least of all Olivia. She saw how Francis was suddenly more excited to go to his classes, or to attend meetings for the clubs he was involved in; things that he would’ve groaned over before. 

Olivia could feel him withdrawing from her, and that scared her. She’d only just received the news about her parents, having accidentally stumbled upon divorce papers in her father’s office. And now, she could feel her boyfriend slipping through her fingers. 

Francis had been a constant in her life for many years, a constant that she had come to rely on. She didn’t know who she was without him; it had been so long since she’d been on her own, and she used to believe that Francis would be by her side for the rest of their lives. She was starting to doubt that now, very much so. 

She knew she couldn’t bring her concerns to Francis, as that would probably push him further away. So, she decided to act from another angle: Mary. 

Olivia knew that Mary went straight to the locker room after school, to change for gymnastics practice. So, one day, she followed Mary after class and cornered her in an empty hallway, just before she could get to the locker room. 

“We need to have a talk,” Olivia said, doing her best to sound intimidating. 

Mary looked confused, but there was a hint of knowing in her eyes as well. “What about?” 

Olivia scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Don’t act all innocent. I know what you’re doing.” 

“What am I doing?” Mary challenged, raising her eyebrows.  _ Damn, this girl isn’t as easily intimidated as I thought _ , Olivia mused. 

“You’re sinking your little claws into my boyfriend, you bitch.” Olivia spat. 

“Is your boyfriend not allowed to have  _ friends _ , Olivia?” Mary asked incredulously. 

“We both know you don’t want to be just friends with him, Mary. I see the way you look at him. I’m not stupid.” 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Olivia.” Mary insisted, her gaze steely. 

“You can play dumb all you want. I know the truth.” Olivia sneered. 

Mary tapped her chin with her index finger in a faux gesture of thinking. “You know, Olivia, maybe you should spend a little less time worrying about me, and a little more time worrying about why your boyfriend seems to prefer my company over his own girlfriend’s.” 

Olivia fumed, and she felt herself resisting the urge to slap Mary across the face. Like hell was this stupid little newcomer going to ruin her relationship with Francis, a relationship years in the making. 

“Mark my words, Stuart.” Olivia stepped closer to Mary, narrowing her eyes. “Back off, or I’ll make sure you regret it.” 

Mary rolled her eyes and ducked away from Olivia, slipping into the locker room before any more words could be exchanged. 

What Olivia didn’t see is that once the locker room door shut, Mary leaned against the wall and slid to the ground, attempting to return her heart rate and breathing to a normal level. It had taken all she had not to show weakness or vulnerability in the confrontation, but she was not about to let Olivia make her feel small. Or, rather, she was not about to let Olivia know that she made her feel small; Mary was reminded of her insignificance in comparison to the blonde every time she saw Francis, and realized he could never be hers. 

…….

It was the beginning of the fourth week of school, and Francis was finding himself to be slightly overwhelmed. He was having some trouble keeping up with the demands of his classes, and it was already starting to show. 

So, he did the only thing that made sense: he turned to Mary. 

He told himself that he only asked for her help because he knew she could  _ provide  _ such help, and could provide it well. Deep down, he knew that he was also motivated by the desire to spend time with her, to be close to her. 

He was skating a dangerously thin line with all the time he was spending with Mary. He knew Olivia had noticed, she hadn’t said so explicitly but had made it clear in her behavior and body language that she wasn’t keen on Mary, or the time he was spending with her. Thankfully, he was able to explain most of their time together by the fact that they had many shared classes and extracurriculars. He knew Olivia wasn’t buying it, though. This could only go on for so long. 

He wanted to break up with Olivia so badly, he really did. Their relationship had run its course long ago, and he thought that deep down, Olivia knew that too. But she was still so fragile, and as much as he wanted to be with Mary, he also didn’t want to make the breakup harder on Olivia than it already would be. He could only hope that Mary could wait another couple weeks, that no one else would notice how amazing she was and try to woo her first. 

But he  _ really _ liked Mary. Sometimes he’d get distracted in class, watching her focusing on the lecture, in awe of her intelligence and beauty. He noticed that she had a habit of biting her lip when she was focusing especially hard, and it never failed to make his heart flutter in his chest. 

One day, when she’d put her hair up before they got started on their Model UN planning meeting, he’d be entranced, watching her run her delicate fingers through her dark waves and gather it up with a hair tie, exposing the curve of her smooth, pale neck. The sight inevitably made him want to kiss every inch of that neck, imagining the moans he could elicit from kissing its slope, then trailing his kisses downwards. He had to force himself to think about other things, or else his thoughts would get more...X-rated. 

When Mary volunteered answers in class, something she was doing even more frequently these days, he found himself momentarily captivated by her beauty and her intellect. Mary was beautiful no matter what, but something about Mary demonstrating her knowledge was especially enchanting. Watching her speak boldly and strongly, sometimes biting her perfect lip in focus or mindlessly running her fingers through her hair...well, it drove him mad. Sometimes she’d be talking and Francis would just be in awe of her brilliance. She’d come to conclusions that he’d never even considered. 

Truthfully, though, Mary was so much more than just pretty. She was the most intelligent, kind, strong, and thoughtful person Francis had ever met. She aced every test and always seemed to know all the answers in classes, not to mention her incredible gymnastics talent. He’d found himself looking in on her practices more frequently on his way to his own practices, and he’d gotten to see her on the bars, vault, and beam, as well. Unsurprisingly, she was incredibly skilled at all of those as well, and Francis knew he would never tire of watching her flip and turn, leap and soar, demonstrating the most beautiful combination of power and poise. 

As the days went on, he found himself completely and totally smitten with Mary. He could only hope that soon it would be the right time to break up with Olivia, and that soon, he could finally go after the girl he knew was right for him all along. 

  
  


……….

  
  


Mary stood on Francis’s doorstep, breathing deeply to calm herself. She tugged on her oversized sweater, hoping her combination of a loose white tee and high waisted jeans conveyed the appropriate combination of casual yet put-together. 

Yesterday, he had confided in her that he was struggling in a few of their shared classes, and asked if she’d be willing to study with him. She had agreed immediately, resigning herself to endure the torture of being so close yet so far from him, if it meant she could help him out. She was slowly realizing that she’d do pretty much anything for Francis. The thought only made her sadder that he couldn’t be hers. 

She found herself sneaking glances at him during class; she couldn’t help it, he was just so handsome, and so kind and funny while also being so strong and resolute, and sometimes she just couldn’t look away. She loved the way that his sandy curls fell into his eyeline and he had to run his fingers through it to get it out of the way. His eyes were like the sea, and he had the most soft-looking lips, and such a strong jaw and cheek. He was muscular and toned, and sometimes Mary’s mouth would run dry when she saw his arm muscles flex under his shirt. There was one time that the hem of his shirt had slipped up a bit when he was grabbing his stuff after class, and she had gotten a glimpse of his defined abs and slight v-line that led down to...well, Mary didn’t want to dwell on that, for self-preservation purposes, of course. He was a walking dream, so handsome and charming. All the while, he was one of the most gentle and kind people that Mary had ever met. She’d seen him with his younger siblings, or with his classmates, even ones he didn’t even know. He could cheer anyone up, smoothe over any situation, solve any problem. He was a natural-born diplomat, so easygoing yet so brave. Not to mention he was  _ whip smart, _ hesitant to speak up but with a mind that was constantly learning, hearing, observing. 

Spending time with Francis was both enchanting and agonizing. She  _ loved  _ being around him. He made her feel so safe and strong, and when she was with him, everything just made  _ sense _ . One part of her was eager to take any chance she got to be in his presence. 

The other part of her dreaded seeing him, knowing that every second spent with him was another reminder that he was untouchable, unattainable. It hurt her to her very core to look into his perfect eyes or hear his beautiful laugh and know that she could never be with him. 

But alas, the former part of her seemed to be winning out. Maybe that made her a masochist, but if it did, she didn’t care. She would rather have him as a friend than not have him at all. 

These thoughts ran through Mary’s head as she raised a fist to knock on the door. She shifted her backpack straps on her shoulders, and as she did so, the door swung open to reveal Bash. 

“Oh! Hi Bash. I’m here to study with Francis,” she said. 

“He’s not home yet.” Bash replied. 

“What do you mean? He told me to come at 6:30.” 

Bash shrugged. “He’s out with Olivia. He’s probably just running late.” 

Mary felt a pang in her chest; once again, he had chosen Olivia. She didn’t know why she was surprised, he always would. But the reminders were getting more and more painful by the day. 

“Can I wait for him inside?” Mary asked, biting her lip. 

A look of realization flashed on Bash’s face. “Of course! Sorry, yes, come in!” He opened the door wider and stepped back, ushering her inside. 

Mary stood awkwardly in the doorway, unsure of herself and embarrassed at her unexpected presence in the Valois home. It was quiet, and the silence felt almost stifling. 

Bash rubbed at the back of his neck. “Sorry, I’m the only one here right now. Everyone else is at some event for my dad’s company. Well, except Francis, he got a pass because he needs to study.” 

Mary knitted her eyebrows in confusion. “Why aren’t you there?” 

Bash looked at her, amused. “I don’t exactly fit into the perfect family image that Catherine is intent on maintaining.” 

“Ahh,” Mary said, embarrassed at her delayed realization. “Well, for what it’s worth, I’m glad you’re here.” 

Bash smiled, and Mary noticed a hint of a blush on his cheeks. “I’m glad you’re here too,” he said. “Are you hungry? I was just about to make something.” 

Mary grinned. “Actually, yeah, I could eat.” She hadn’t eaten beforehand, having been too nervous, but at the thought of food her stomach grumbled loudly. 

Bash laughed at the sound, and she let out a giggle as well. “Well come on, then. Let’s fill up that stomach of yours.” 

She followed him into the kitchen and took a seat on a bar stool at the large granite-top island, watching as he opened up cupboards and the fridge to survey their options. 

“What are you hungry for?” he asked her, looking at her over his shoulder. 

“Honestly, anything sounds good.” Mary replied. She didn’t want to be a bother, she was content to just eat whatever he decided he wanted. 

“Come on, Stuart,” Bash said, turning around fully and leaning with his forearms onto the island, staring at her with his head cocked slightly to the side. “There’s gotta be  _ something  _ that sounds particularly good right now.” 

Mary felt a familiar fluttering in her stomach, and she couldn’t help but notice what a beautiful color his eyes were. They were like Francis’s, but with a little green in them. He was certainly handsome, and she was surprised she didn’t notice it before. 

“Umm…” Mary said, chewing on her lip, a nervous habit that she really ought to kick. “If I had to choose  _ anything _ , I guess I’d choose...waffles?” 

“Coming right up,” Bash grinned, opening a cabinet and pulling out a box of waffle mix. He quickly got to work, mixing the batter and pouring it into a waffle iron. 

“Smells delicious.” Mary grinned. “Is there anything I can do?” 

“Uhh, sure! If you want, you could start cutting the fruit?” he gestured towards the strawberries and bananas he had laid out on the counter. 

“Of course! Do you have a cutting board?” Mary looked around. 

“Yeah, just let me grab it...” Their positions in the kitchens and the place the cutting board was stored made for an awkward situation. Bash attempted to gesture to the cupboard, but when his directives weren’t sufficient, he had no choice but to slide behind her and grab it himself. This meant their bodies were pressed against each other, and Mary could feel Bash tense slightly at the contact. 

Bash gave her the cutting board and knife and they quickly returned to their respective tasks, both blushing slightly. 

Before long, their breakfast-for-dinner was done, and Bash grabbed two plates and some utensils from the cabinets. He plopped a fresh waffle onto a plate and slid it towards her. 

“Your dinner, your majesty,” he said with a grin, doing a facetious bow. 

“Why thank you, kind sir.” Mary played along. 

She piled her waffle with fruit and drizzled syrup on it, and she could already feel her mouth watering at the thought of digging into such a delicious meal. Bash returned to the fridge again and pulled out a can of whipped cream. After he squirted some on his own waffle, she held out her hand expectantly. 

“What, did you think you could hide that from me?” she joked. 

“I would  _ never _ !” Bash gave an exaggerated gasp, and handed her the canister. She covered her waffle with whipped cream, until there was barely any waffle visible at all. 

Bash smirked at her. “Want some waffle with that whipped cream, Stuart?” 

“Oh, shut up!” Mary replied. “It’s good, okay?” 

“You don’t have to convince me,” Bash said, chuckling. “Clearly, whipped cream is an essential staple of your diet. 

In a flash, Mary dabbed a finger in her whipped cream and swiped it across his nose in retaliation. His eyes widened and he gasped in faux outrage. 

“You’ve done it now.” He raised an eyebrow and grabbed the can of whipped cream, and Mary jumped up from her seat and scurried away from him as he chased after her, the can cocked and at the ready. 

She managed to evade him initially, but after a moment he cornered her and held the can to her face menacingly. 

“I surrender! I surrender!” Mary squealed and held her hands in the air, and he smirked, raising an eyebrow in response. 

“You swear it?” he asked. 

She giggled. “On my  _ life _ .” 

Mary suddenly became aware of her close proximity to Bash. He smelled good, like cedar and musk, and Mary noticed how beautiful his eyes were up close. She felt her breath catch in her chest. 

In their flurry of activity, neither Mary nor Bash heard the front door open and the steps that echoed into the kitchen. It wasn’t until Francis spoke that they became aware of his presence. 

“Uhh, Mary? What’s going on here?” he asked. His tone was firmer than usual. 

At the sound, Bash jumped away from Mary, like a child caught in the act of something they most definitely were  _ not  _ supposed to be doing. Mary’s cheeks flushed furiously, knowing what the situation looked like, and not wanting Francis to get the wrong idea. 

“Bash made me dinner, and then he was teasing me about how much whipped cream I used, so I got some on his face, and then he chased after me to try to get me back,” Mary babbled, hoping to explain the situation. Bash, as if just now remembering the smattering of topping on his nose, wiped it away quickly. 

“Alright then,” Francis said, still seeming unconvinced. Mary didn’t miss how Francis shot his older brother a furious look. 

“Mary, why don’t you grab your food and you can finish it while we study?” Francis gestured to her plate, still untouched. 

“Good idea,” she said, and grabbed her plate with one hand. She moved to grab her backpack with the other, but she was having a difficult time balancing everything, something that Bash seemed to notice. 

“Let me help you,” Bash said, moving to grab her backpack for her. 

“I got it,” Francis said a little too firmly, an undercurrent of anger in his tone. He grabbed her backpack and slung it over his shoulder with ease.

Before she followed Francis out of the room, she turned around and shot Bash an apologetic look. She didn’t want to be a source of tension between the two brothers, but it seemed like she had inadvertently created tension already. 

Bash grinned at her and shrugged his shoulders, mouthing  _ it’s okay. _ Mary smiled back before following Francis out of the room and up the stairs. 

Mary's study outfit: 


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Double update because I started writing and couldn't stop!!
> 
> We got feels! We got fluffy moments! We got angst!

Tension hung thick in the air as Francis led Mary to his room. She was quiet, and he could tell she was confused and unsure. 

“Is it okay that we’re in here?” He heard her ask from behind him as he led her inside. 

“Of course,” Francis replied, his words coming out colder than usual. He immediately felt bad. She wasn’t to blame, he had to remind himself of that. She’d done nothing wrong. “Sorry, I just...had a weird day.” 

“It’s okay,” Mary replied, still hesitant. A few seconds of silence passed before she spoke again. “Did you have fun with Olivia?” she asked quietly. 

Francis felt guilt wash over him. In the blur of the moment he’d walked in on, he’d completely forgotten that he’d been late to their study session, and because of Olivia, no less. She had insisted that he take her to grab dinner, and Francis figured he could make it back in time, but he had been wrong; Olivia had dragged on their time together, and Francis wondered if she did so intentionally, knowing he was planning on studying with Mary that night. 

“Yeah,” Francis replied unconvincingly. “Mary, I’m so sorry. I should’ve texted you and told you that I was going to be late, but I really thought I would make it back in time, and I didn’t want you to feel like I was bailing on you.” He looked at her with regret in his eyes, hoping his actions hadn’t hurt her. 

“It’s alright,” Mary replied, but her tone said something different. Francis dwelled on the words unsaid, knowing that she was indeed hurt, but not knowing how to approach her, how to apologize. Nothing he could say would make it better. 

“Besides,” Mary spoke again. “Bash was here, so I wasn’t alone. No worries.” 

Francis clenched his jaw reflexively.  _ Bash _ .  _ Bash was here, because of course he was. _ He managed to nod, forcing a smile. 

“Will you excuse me for a minute?” he asked, gesturing to the door. 

“Of course,” Mary replied. 

He left the room and went into the closest bathroom, shutting the door behind him. He clenched the edges of the sink, his head hanging down in defeat. 

He was afraid of this, of her getting involved with someone else before he had the chance to break up with Olivia and tell Mary how he felt about her. He just never imagined that the someone else would be his own brother. 

Deep down, though, there was a part of Francis that wasn’t entirely surprised. He’d seen the way Bash looked at Mary, the way he hung onto her every word during their AP Gov class. It was only a matter of time before Bash’s feelings would come to the surface, he could only suppress them for so long. 

But still, Francis was furious with his brother. Bash knew he liked Mary, he’d seen it in Francis’s eyes, and even spoken with him about it on multiple occasions. Francis and Bash had always been close, and Francis had figured Bash’s brotherly loyalty would trump any feelings he had for Mary. But when he walked in and saw Bash pressed up against Mary with that whipped cream can in his hand, and he saw the mere inches between their faces, and the way Mary’s chest heaved slightly, he knew that he had pegged his brother wrong. 

Francis rubbed his temples before splashing some cold water on his face.  _ This isn’t the time for this,  _ he thought to himself. He could be mad later, but right now, Mary was in his room, waiting for him, and he would be damned before he let a single second with her go to waste fretting about his brother. He took a few deep breaths before returning to his bedroom, where Mary was sitting on the floor against the wall. 

“You okay?” she said, looking up at him with concern in her face. 

“Yeah, of course. I just had to use the bathroom.” Francis lied. He tried to make his tone upbeat, shift the conversation to the friendly banter they usually had. “You know I have a desk and a chair, right?” He joked, gesturing to her position on the floor. 

“I like sitting on the floor,” Mary blushed. “It gives me a chance to stretch out.”

Francis shrugged before grabbing his things and plopping down on the floor next to her. “Alright then,” he replied. 

“You can sit at your desk!” Mary protested. 

“Nah, I think I’ll try out this floor thing.” Francis grinned at her. 

Mary returned his smile, and he felt things settling back to normal. At least he hoped they were. 

“So what should we start with? What are you having the most trouble with?” Mary asked, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she spoke. 

“I guess I’m the most behind in AP Bio right now,” Francis said. 

Mary nodded and pulled out her notebook, flipping open to some neat and meticulous notes in her perfect handwriting. 

“Do you want to start with the material for the next test, or today’s lecture stuff, or what?” she asked. 

“Next test, I suppose?” he said. “Whatever you want to do.” 

“I’m good to do that,” Mary replied. “So I guess we should start with the central dogma, replication, transcription, translation, and the like.” 

Francis nodded and listened intently as she started to explain the processes, the strands involved, and how they were regulated. She showed him how she’d outlined the material in her notes, and somehow the way she explained it made much more sense to him than when their professor did. Maybe she was a better teacher, or maybe he was more intent on paying attention when Mary spoke than when their professor did; likely, it was a mixture of both. 

Hours passed as they studied, Mary explaining things and them both talking over the material, drawing out processes when necessary, and even making some flashcards from the notecards Mary had conveniently pulled out of her bag. Francis was pleasantly surprised; what they went through in two and a half hours would’ve taken him over twice the time, and he understood it better now than he would’ve if he studied on his own. 

“How are you so good at this?” Francis asked her. 

“At what?” she questioned, furrowing her brows. 

“Studying, teaching, everything.” 

Mary shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t feel like I am. I don’t really have a good answer for you.” 

Francis shot her a look. She was underselling herself, a habit she needed to break. It seemed to him that Mary was hesitant to embrace her strength, to express her talent without fear of judgement. He wondered if it had something to do with her being a woman; he knew that powerful women were perceived differently, often unfairly, and he also knew that strength and leadership in him would be heralded, but the same attributes in her would be called bossy. He hoped someday he could help her see how great she was. 

“Sorry you had to spend your evening explaining this to me,” he apologized. 

“No, don’t be sorry!” Mary insisted. “Today was really helpful for me too. I like to test my learning by trying to explain things to someone else, and talking through everything with you was really great.” 

“Good,” Francis smiled. “I don’t know about you, but I’m kind of studied-out for today.” 

Mary grinned. “Me too.” 

A light flashed in Francis’s eyes. “Do you want to go somewhere?” he asked. 

“Where would we go?” Mary looked at him doubtfully. “It’s like, 9:30.” 

Francis grinned mischievously. “Do you trust me?” he asked. 

“Of course,” Mary replied, and her speed in responding made his heart warm. 

“Then come with me.” 

  
  


………

  
  


Mary followed Francis out of his building and down the block, trying to figure out where he was taking her. He led her by the hand, having grabbed her hand instinctively, and Mary relished the feeling of his palm in hers. It was a small taste of what she was missing, and she tried to catalogue every sensation so she could use it to tide her over when she was feeling especially jealous of Olivia. 

After a minute or two, Mary thought she had a pretty good idea of where Francis was leading her. 

“Are we going to Central Park?” Mary asked, a smile on her face. 

“Wait and  _ seee _ ,” Francis said in a sing-songy voice. 

Sure enough, he led her to the entrance nearest them, the park nearly empty in the late hour. She followed Francis with a helpless grin on her face as he led them down the trails that were once familiar to her. As they walked, everything started to become more familiar, bringing back memories of hot summer days and melting popsicles, of childlike giggles and endless antics. 

Before long, Francis led her to their special spot: Bethesda Fountain. This was their favorite place to play, chasing each other around the rim and making wishes as they tossed in coins. They never told each other their wishes, though, because everyone knows that if you share your wish, it won’t come true. 

They sat on the fountain’s edge, and Mary admired the familiar angel statue in the glow of the moonlight.

“I always thought she looked kinda sad,” Mary remarked, still gazing up at the statue.

“Why’s that?” Francis asked, his eyes glancing up at the statue but quickly returning to her face, illuminated in the gentle lighting. 

“I don’t know, I guess just her face?” Mary mused. “She looks like she’s tired of watching over everyone else. She looks lonely to me.” 

“Maybe she is lonely,” Francis shrugged. 

“Yeah, those cherubs don’t look like very good company.” Mary joked. 

Francis chuckled. “She’s probably missing someone,” he added, his words carrying another level of meaning. 

“Who is she missing?” Mary said, turning to him. 

“Her love, maybe.” Francis said, meeting her gaze. 

They were silent for a few seconds, and Mary saw a longing in his gaze, similar to what she thought she saw before, but stronger this time. For a split second she allowed herself to think that if they were together, this is how he would look at her all the time; with desire, longing, and love. A pang of realization shot through her; that was a fantasy, and that’s all it could ever be. She turned away from him and stared up at the fountain once more. 

“Maybe,” she replied softly. 

“Do you remember much from when we were kids?” Francis asked her, changing the subject slightly. 

“You know, I thought I’d forgotten, but being back in New York City is making me realize that those memories have always been there, just tucked away.” Mary mused. 

“Yeah, it’s kind of the same for me,” Francis replied. “It’s like, sometimes you have friends from your childhood and then you just stop seeing them all of a sudden and you move on to other friends. But that friend will always mean something to you, you’ll always have good memories of them.” He looked at her tentatively before continuing. 

“When my dad mentioned your name, it was like a lightbulb went off. I was like,  _ Oh yeah! Mary! I remember her, she was my best friend. _ And then I just couldn’t believe that I’d ever stopped thinking about you in the first place.” 

Mary was silent for a few seconds before nodding in agreement. “We really did have a lot of fun during those summers, didn’t we?” She grinned at him. 

“Oh, did we ever!” Francis chuckled. “Do you remember when we snuck away from the nanny at the Children’s Museum?” 

Mary threw her head back and laughed heartily. “Oh my gosh, we got in  _ so much  _ trouble!” 

Francis shrugged and grinned. “Worth it. We got to sneak around unsupervised for a while. I remember I felt like a spy.” 

“Same!” Mary exclaimed. “We really thought we were  _ sooo _ slick, didn’t we,” Mary laughed. 

“I mean, for a couple of seven year olds, we were pretty sneaky,” Francis said. 

“We were a pair of little troublemakers,” she grinned. 

“Do you remember when we made Claude think she was going deaf by muting the TV and mouthing words to each other instead of talking?” 

“Oh my gosh, I  _ do  _ remember that!” Mary laughed so hard she doubled over a little. “She was so distraught, I felt kind of bad. But it was so funny!” 

“How did we even think of that?” Francis asked, shaking his head as he laughed alongside her. 

“No clue,” Mary grinned. “Hey, do you remember how much we used to tease Bash? Oh man, we drove him  _ crazy _ . Like that shoe prank? When we stole his left shoe from every pair, one shoe each week? And he thought he was losing all of them?” 

Mary stopped talking when she noticed Francis had quieted at the mention of his brother. She realized he was probably still a little upset about earlier, and she immediately regretted mentioning Bash. 

Francis responded, albeit delayed. “That was a pretty good one,” he admitted. 

They were both silent for a few seconds, and Mary felt words spill out of her mouth. 

“You know, you’re pretty much my favorite person,” she said, and he turned to her curiously. “You were my favorite person then, and I think you’re my favorite person now.” Mary gulped nervously. “And just because I spent a little time with Bash doesn’t mean I like you any less.” 

Francis stilled, pondering her words. He looked like there was something else he wanted to say, and Mary was confused. 

“I think you’re my favorite person now, too, Mary.” he said, turning to her with a small smile. 

Mary smiled, relieved. “You’re not going to be mad at Bash, right? Because I was hanging out with him?” 

Francis looked slightly pained. “That’s not why I’m mad at him, Mary.” 

Mary was confused, and her face showed it. “Then why are you mad?” 

Francis was silent, his face stoic. “Can we talk about something else?” 

“Of course,” Mary replied, still a little nervous and uncertain about the whole situation. “What do you want to talk about?” 

Francis turned to her. “How about, what do you want to be when you grow up?” 

Mary grinned. “Easy, I want to be the CEO and chief attorney of my dad’s company.” 

Francis looked at her, slightly surprised. “How are you so sure?” 

Mary shrugged. “It’s what I’ve always wanted. He died when I was eight, I’m sure you remember.” 

Francis nodded. He did remember. After her dad died, he didn’t get to see her anymore, and he remembered being sad and confused. When he was older, he realized that Mary’s dad was the one his parents were friends with, and once that link was gone, they weren’t keen on inviting Marie to New York. Marie never got along with Francis’s parents, especially his mom. Francis figured now it was because they were pretty similar. 

“Well, anyway, his law firm was his pride and joy. He always wanted me to take it over when I became old enough. I want to make him proud.” Mary said, swallowing thickly. 

Francis put his hand atop hers where it rested on the fountain’s edge. “He would be proud of you  _ now _ , Mary,” he said softly. 

Mary smiled softly at him and flipped her hand over so she could squeeze his. She couldn’t help but feel her heart warm at his display of comfort and worry. 

“Thanks, Francis,” she said softly. 

“Can I ask you something?” He said tentatively. 

“Always,” Mary replied. 

“If it wasn’t what he planned for you, would you still want it? You know, to be a lawyer, to run the firm?” Francis asked. 

“Yeah, I would,” Mary admitted. “It calls to me. I want to help the little guy, like he did. His firm mostly does civil rights cases, you know. I want to make a difference, use my skills to change lives.” 

After a few seconds of silence, Mary turned to Francis, concerned at his lack of response. She was met with his gaze, longing once again. Mary wasn’t sure how to feel. She didn’t want to let herself imagine things that weren’t there, it would only hurt her more. But she also couldn’t deny that there was something about the way he looked at her that made her feel fuzzy and warm inside. 

“What about you?” Mary asked, redirecting his attention. “What do you want to do?” 

“Actually,” Francis admitted. “I’ve thought about law myself.” 

Mary gasped. “No way! That’s awesome!” 

“I think so,” Francis smiled. “It just seems to fit me really well.” 

“Would you work for your dad?” Mary asked. Henry Valois was a cutthroat corporate lawyer, a law school classmate of her fathers who had chosen a different path. 

“Maybe,” Francis said. “He certainly wants me to. But...I don’t want to be the same kind of man that my dad is.” 

Mary nodded, understanding what he meant. She herself often looked at her mother and was determined to be different; less conniving, less superficial, more caring. 

“If I can be the kind of lawyer I want to be,” Francis continued. “Then I would love to work for my dad. I think his company has the potential to do a lot of good, if it’s in the right hands.” 

“And could those be your hands?” Mary asked.

“Maybe, someday.” Francis admitted. 

“Where do you want to go to college?” Mary asked him. 

“Easy, Harvard.” 

Mary grinned widely. “Same! It’s always been the number one pick, the goal school.” 

“It’s the same for me, too.” Francis said. 

“Why Harvard?” Mary asked. 

“Well, it’s where both of my parents went. I’d love to continue the legacy, even though I don’t really like what my dad has done with his career. Plus, it’s an incredible school.” Francis replied. “What about you?” 

“My dad’s alma mater, too,” Mary answered. 

“Oh yeah, duh,” Francis said, clearly surprised he hadn’t remembered. 

“And I guess for the same reasons as you. Continuing the legacy, and the quality of the school.” Mary sighed, pausing. “And when I picture the person I want to become, the strong, capable, intelligent woman I want to be, I always picture myself at Harvard.” 

Mary felt him squeeze her hand again, and she became acutely aware that they were still holding hands. The sensation felt so comfortable, so natural, that she had stopped noticing after a while. She didn’t let go, though. 

“Mary,” he said softly. “You don’t need to go to Harvard to become that person. You already are.” 

Mary felt his words sink in, her whole body warming. She didn’t know how, or why, but Francis seemed to believe in her, definitely more than she believed in herself. 

She looked at him, taking in the softness of his gaze, once again reveling in his beauty, causing her to take a sharp intake of breath. He never failed to take her breath away, whether it was with his words, or his gestures, or even just his face. 

“Thank you, Francis,” Mary replied. “That really means a lot to me.” 

“Anytime,” Francis said, bumping his shoulder against hers playfully. Mary bumped him back, a little bit more forcefully, and she watched as he lost his balance and fell backwards into the fountain. 

She gasped, stifling a laugh. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to, I swear!” He shot her a look, clearly not believing it was an accident. But when he stood up, and she saw how he was absolutely soaked, she couldn’t help but let out a loud laugh. She doubled over, laughing so hard it was making her cheeks hurt. 

“Oh, laugh it up, you’re not the one who’s drenched.” Francis said, but Mary could tell he was holding back a laugh himself. 

“I really didn’t mean to. I promise.” Mary said, holding up her arms in surrender. 

“It’s okay, accidents happen.” Francis sighed. He moved to get out, but all of a sudden, Mary felt a pair of strong, wet arms wrap around her waist and pull her into the fountain. The cold water shocked her system, drenching her head to toe. 

“Francis!” She gasped. 

“An eye for an eye,” he shrugged, smirking. 

She retaliated by splashing water at him. 

“Hey!” he exclaimed before splashing her back. 

Before long they were in a splash war, flinging the cold fountain water at each other and laughing as they did so. 

“This water is probably so dirty, you know,” Mary said. 

“C’est la vie, Mary,” Francis grinned. 

She didn’t reply, just laughed more and splashed him again. Her heart felt so full in that moment; it was just like when they were kids and they jumped into the fountain, despite it being very much against the rules to do so. For a split second, it was like nothing had changed, as if they hadn’t been apart for eight years. 

Mary grinned, and she was surprised to feel her teeth chattering. She suddenly became aware that she was shivering, clearly impacted by the coldness of the water, but hadn’t noticed because she was having so much fun. 

Francis stopped mid splash, a look of concern crossing his face. “Are you cold?” he asked. 

“A little,” Mary admitted, trying to stifle her chattering teeth. 

“Here,” he said, opening his arms to her. She quickly stepped towards him and he wrapped her in his arms in an attempt to warm her up. 

“Mmm, that’s much better,” she smiled. “You’re warm. How are you warm?” She looked up at him. 

“I run hot,” he shrugged. Mary blushed as a cheeky response popped into her head.  _ You sure do,  _ she almost said. 

“What?” he asked, looking down at her, confused. 

Mary paled; she realized she had said that last bit out loud. “Nothing,” she insisted. 

Francis smirked. “Did you just call me hot?” 

“No!” she protested. 

“I’m pretty sure I just heard you call me hot,” Francis teased. 

“You’re imagining things, Francis.” Mary replied. 

“Am I?” Francis remarked. 

They were quiet for a moment, and Mary leaned her head on his chest, and she could feel his heartbeat. He rested his chin on the top of her head, and Mary let herself revel in the moment, in the feeling of being so close to him, so intertwined. He felt like a perfect fit, like they were made for each other. She let herself have this; if she couldn’t have him, she was going to soak up as many of these little moments as she could, even though it hurt her. One minute of peace and pleasure in his arms was worth the hours of agony she’d inevitably spend poring over the moment, wishing he was hers. 

“Mary,” Francis said softly, almost in a whisper. 

“Yes Francis?” she replied in a similar tone. 

“Do you remember when we would throw coins in this fountain?” he asked. 

“Of course,” Mary said. 

“Do you remember what you wished for?” 

“I can’t tell you that or else it won’t come true!” Mary insisted. 

“Oh, come on, tell me,” Francis grinned. 

“Nope,” Mary said, and mimed locking her lips and throwing away the key. “You’re not going to get it out of me.” 

Francis sighed. “Do you want to know what I wished for?” 

Mary was silent for a moment. “What did you wish for?” she asked, her voice almost imperceivable. 

“I wished for you, Mary.” Francis replied. She froze. 

“I wished for us to be best friends, to be together forever.” Francis added. 

Mary felt her heart race and her cheeks warm. She stayed as still as a statue in his arms. She didn’t know what to think; there were so many thoughts, so many feelings racing through her head. 

She felt him pull back slightly, so he could look at her again. He leaned in and rested his forehead against hers. 

“Mary,” he whispered, exhaling softly. 

Mary’s breath caught in her throat. He was only  _ inches  _ away from her face. One move, and his lips would be on hers. He was  _ right there,  _ so close, and he smelled so good, and looked so very handsome. 

Francis seemed to be thinking the same thing, because he leaned in slowly. Mary felt his breath on her face, and it sent a chill down her spine. He drew even closer, moving so tentatively, not wanting to break the spell of the moment. 

His lips were almost on hers, and she wanted so badly to kiss him. To give into the moment, to let herself take another memory for safekeeping. She had the hand-holding, the embrace in the fountain, and she could even have this kiss, she could tuck it away for herself. 

But she couldn’t. Not this one, this one would hurt too much. 

Mary withdrew sharply, and she could feel tears springing to her eyes. 

“No,” she said quietly as she stepped back. 

“Mary,” he said again, his voice so full of longing that it nearly broke her heart entirely. He stepped towards her, and she retreated again abruptly. 

“We can’t. You can’t. No.” Mary said, her voice wavering. 

Without a second thought, she turned around and leapt out of the fountain before sprinting off through the park. 

“Mary!” she could hear Francis call her name behind her as he was running after her. “Mary, please! Wait!” 

But she didn’t turn around. She ran as fast as she could, tears stinging her cheeks and shivers running through her whole body from the cold wetness of her clothes. She could hear him behind her the whole time, but she was too quick, and she had a head start. 

“Mary!” He called after her again, but she kept running. She forced her body to keep going, to sprint, desperate to get away from the situation. Her heart pumped in her chest, and she forced her pain to propel her forward, absolutely refusing to confront him again. 

Mary ran and ran, and before long his calls to her faded quieter and quieter. She sprinted until she reached her house and ran inside, grateful she had thought to keep her keys in her pocket and that they didn’t fall out in the fountain. 

Once she was safely on the other side of the door, she quickly shut it and locked it behind her before slumping to the ground and curling into a ball, tucking her face into her knees. 

She let her tears flow, knowing there was no one home to hear her. Her mother was out, and Mary knew she wouldn’t be back until late; that seemed to be the trend these days, at least. 

Mary cried until her eyes were dry, until she had no more left to cry. She laughed pathetically at herself; she had promised long ago that she was done crying over him. Apparently, she couldn’t keep that promise. 

Mary didn’t know how much time passed; it could’ve been minutes, it could’ve been an hour. But after a while she heard a knock at the door. 

She froze, praying it wasn’t him. She couldn’t see him, not now. But when she looked through the peephole, no one was there. She tentatively opened the door to see her backpack gently set on the doorstep, with her phone safely tucked inside. 

She quickly grabbed it and shut the door again. She didn’t know who brought her things home; maybe it was Francis, or maybe it was Bash. Either way, it didn’t matter. 

Mary went upstairs and stripped off her wet clothes before getting in the shower, cranking the heat up high to warm her up again. Once she was no longer freezing, she got out and dried herself off before changing into an oversized t-shirt and slipping into bed. She didn’t bother to do any of her before-bed routine, she just reached into a drawer of her bedside table and pulled out a container of melatonin gummies, which she usually reserved for particularly restless nights. 

She took the maximum dose and burrowed under the covers, and before long she was out like a light, and she was thankful for it. She didn’t want to think about him anymore, she just wanted to forget for a few hours. 

But that night, she dreamed of a little girl with dark hair and big hazel eyes, throwing a coin into a fountain. The little girl laughed at the blonde boy at her side before closing her eyes and tossing her coin in. 

  
Her wish was simple: _Please let me love Francis forever._

Bethesda fountain:   


Bethesda fountain at night:   


The angel of Bethesda fountain:   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a few notes: 
> 
> The making Claude think she's deaf prank is 100% a plot line from Arthur. I loved that show when I was a kid, and when I was trying to think of pranks, I thought of that. 
> 
> Also, the shoe prank is something I did to my sister. I have a younger sister who always used to wear my shoes without asking, so of course, like the conniving little devil I was, I proceeded to hide one left shoe every couple weeks for about six months. I was all about the long game.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Francis takes action.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Enjoy!

Francis’s breath heaved in his chest as he stood outside her door. He’d missed her, she’d outrun him. He didn’t know how she’d managed it, and in other circumstances he’d probably be pretty impressed that she could sprint that fast. His voice was hoarse from calling her name, and he could already tell that there was a good chance he wouldn’t have much of a voice tomorrow. 

With a sigh, Francis sat down on the steps leading up to her house and buried his head in his hands.  _ What have I done? _ He thought to himself. 

Part of him wasn’t surprised that he had tried to kiss her. His resolve had been weakening for weeks now, and he was constantly feeling like he was being torn in two, split between following his heart and doing the right thing. But was it the right thing? He didn’t know anymore. 

Francis had always been the type to put the needs of others above his own. Even as a child, he had frequently sacrificed his own toys or treats to appease a sad sibling. One time in the third grade, he spent recess inside for a month when his friend Leith got hurt and couldn’t go out. And usually, his empathy didn’t come with a strong toll on him. But this time, it was different. Putting Olivia first had probably just ruined his chances with Mary. 

He groaned when a new thought popped into his head:  _ Bash _ . His brother had feelings for Mary too, he knew that. He hadn’t worried about it before, but he knew now that his casual assurance was a mistake. And from the scene he had observed in the kitchen earlier today, it seemed that Mary might have developed feelings as well. 

Francis stood, steely determination in his eyes, and began running home. He had several things to attend to, and he couldn’t wait even a moment longer. It was time to put himself first, to follow his heart. He could only pray he wasn’t too late. 

  
  


……….

  
  


Francis slipped into his house, careful not to disturb his recently-returned family. It was nearly 11 now, and he knew his mother wouldn’t want him out at such a late hour. He crept upstairs to his room, passing Bash’s on the way; his step faltered a bit at the bitter remembrance of Bash’s moment with Mary, but he couldn’t dwell on that now. He’d make Bash pay later. 

He went to his room and carefully gathered Mary’s things, putting her books, notes, and phone into her backpack. Then he returned back downstairs and slipped out the way he came. He walked the couple blocks to Mary’s house and took a deep breath before walking up the steps. He then gently set her things on the doorstep, took another deep breath, and knocked softly but firmly on the door. 

Francis quickly dashed down the doorstep and sought shelter behind a tree a house or two down. It was dark, and he hoped that the cover of night would make up for what the meager tree couldn’t hide. He knew what it looked like, he was a guy hiding out late at night, and he could only hope no one would see him and get suspicious. But he  _ had _ to see her. 

A few seconds later he saw the door slowly open, and Mary stepped out tentatively. It was hard to see her from a distance, but he thought he could see tear stains on her face, and she was still in her wet clothes from earlier. A pang of guilt and sadness tore through him at the sight of her. She still looked so beautiful, she always did, but she also seemed deflated, a shell of her usual fiery self. 

Mary briefly looked around before grabbing her backpack and slipping back inside, shutting the door behind her. Francis let out a breath that he didn’t know he’d been holding before continuing his trek, on to the next stop. 

Thankfully, the destination in question was also in the Upper East Side. It was a little further away, but he didn’t know what else to do; in rushing, he had neglected to bring his wallet or phone, so he couldn’t call an uber or get a taxi. So he walked. 

The cool night air made his still-wet clothes feel heavy and chilling on his body, and he half-wished he had taken a few moments to change and dry off. But he didn’t want to waste a single second, so his comfort had taken a backseat. 

He reached his second stop before long, and he rushed up the steps without hesitation. He knocked on the door, praying the correct person answered the door and that he wouldn’t be shooed away. 

Thankfully, when the door cracked open, it was the person he’d come to see. 

He blurted out in a loud exhale. 

“We need to talk.” 

  
  


………..

  
  


Francis had made his decision the second Mary pulled away from him and ran off into the night. He’d reached his breaking point; no longer could he allow his concern about Olivia take priority over his own feelings. Not anymore, now that Bash was in the equation. And especially not now, now that Mary had been hurt in the process. 

He’d realized long ago that there was no way he could avoid hurting Olivia entirely. He always thought the options were to hurt Olivia more by breaking things off sooner, or to hurt her less by waiting. He never thought that hurting Mary was a risk, and he berated himself for not considering the possibility. And now he’d done exactly that, he’d hurt her. He could only hope that the damage wasn’t irreparable, that in his indecision he hadn’t ruined any chance he had of being with her. 

So here he was, on Olivia’s doorstep, about to do something he feared he should’ve done a long time ago.

“ _ We need to talk, _ ” he had said, and Olivia stared at him with wide eyes. 

“Francis, why are you wet?” she gasped, confused. 

He shook his head, his brows furrowed. “It doesn’t matter,” he insisted. “I need to talk to you?” 

Olivia looked worried, and Francis thought she might know where this was going. 

“It’s almost midnight, Francis, can’t this wait?” she asked him with pleading eyes. He wasn’t sure if she was asking him to wait until another day, or asking him not to do what he was about to do. 

“I’m really sorry, it can’t,” he said. Olivia pulled her loose sweater more tightly around her, bundling up from the chill of the night and the chill of his inevitable declaration. 

She sighed. “Do you want to come in?” 

He shook his head. “No, it’s okay, this will only take a second. I don’t want to disturb your family, or track water into the house,” he said as he gestured down to his drenched state. 

“Okay,” Olivia said, her voice small and very near a whisper. 

“Olivia,” Francis began, looking into her eyes with sorrow. “I can’t do this anymore. We need to break up.” 

She was silent, and it took Francis aback slightly. He knew Olivia well; she tended to have big reactions, and he had anticipated this would be no different. But instead, she stood silently in the doorframe, hugging herself tighter and letting her gaze drop to the ground. 

When seconds passed and she still didn’t respond, he spoke again. “I’m really sorry,” he said in a hushed tone. 

She raised her head and met his gaze once more, and Francis saw tears pooling in her eyes. “Francis, why?” she asked, her voice breaking as tears threatened to spill. 

He sighed. “It’s not working anymore. It hasn’t been for a while now. And I think deep down you know that.” Francis raked his hand through his hair anxiously. 

“It’s working for me,” she uttered quietly. A single tear escaped and fell down her cheek. 

He swallowed thickly. “Is it?” he asked, and she looked at him in confusion. “Olivia, you can’t honestly tell me you think we’re the best fit for each other.” 

She laughed wryly. “I do think that, though,” she said. “And we’ve been together for so long.” 

“Time doesn’t mean it’s right,” he said honestly. “Please, you need to let me go.” 

He reached out to touch her arm gently, but she jerked away immediately. 

“Don’t touch me,” she snapped. 

“Olivia, I’m really sorry,” he said softly. 

“It’s because of  _ her _ , isn’t it. Admit it.” she spat at him, venom in her tone. 

Francis was silent. He didn’t know how to answer; it was,  _ and _ it wasn’t. He was leaning towards breaking up with Olivia before Mary had even entered the equation, but getting to know her and falling for her had certainly solidified his decision, beyond a shadow of a doubt. 

Apparently, his silence answered her question. Fury flashed in Olivia’s eyes. 

“She’s not going to give you what you want, you know.” 

“What do you mean?” he asked, confused. 

“You think she’s this  _ amazing _ girl. But she’s not. You just want her because she’s  _ new  _ and  _ exciting _ , but she’s like cheap plastic. She may be shiny now, but she won’t be forever.” Olivia taunted, moving her hands to her hips. 

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Francis said in a low warning tone. 

“Oh, don’t I?” Olivia laughed. “I  _ know  _ you, Francis Valois. I know what you need, and it’s sure as hell not that ugly, frigid, bitchy piece of California trash!” 

Rage flowed through Francis, and he had to actively tell himself to go easy on Olivia, give her the benefit of the doubt. She had to be saying such horrible things because she was upset. 

“I’m really sorry about this,” he said calmly. 

“You’re  _ sorry?!  _ Oh, that makes it all better, folks. He’s  _ sorry _ ,” she scoffed. “You have no idea what a big mistake you’re making,” she said, pointing at him firmly. “You’re trading in limited-edition Louboutins for a hand-me-down pair of Skechers. And when she doesn’t do it for you, when that measly little tramp can’t give you what you need, you’re going to come crawling back to me.” 

“Olivia,  _ stop! _ ” he shouted, stunning her. “I know this isn’t easy, but don’t take it out on Mary. She didn’t do anything wrong.” 

“Like hell she didn’t!” Olivia snapped. “Following you, drooling over you like a pathetic little puppy. She knew  _ exactly  _ what she was doing. And you fell for it, because she flatters your ego.” 

“Mary is  _ not  _ why I’m breaking up with you,” Francis said firmly. “This is something I’ve been thinking about for a while now.” 

Olivia was taken aback. “How long?” she asked in a near-whisper. 

“Since July,” Francis admitted. 

A sob wracked through Olivia’s chest. “Then why didn’t you break up with me then, huh?” 

“You know why,” Francis looked at her knowingly. When she didn’t respond, he explained further. “The timing wasn’t right at first, and then with everything with your parents…” he trailed off. “I just couldn’t hurt you any more than you were already hurting.” 

She chuckled dryly, tears still streaming down her face. “Well I guess I should thank you for at least doing me  _ that  _ courtesy.” 

Francis was silent, not knowing what to say. He knew there was nothing he could say or do to make this better, less painful for Olivia. He hated hurting her, but he hated hurting Mary more. 

“Get off my porch,” she said firmly, glaring at him. 

“Olivia--” he tried to interject. 

“ _ Go!”  _ she yelled. He stepped back and raised his arms in surrender. 

“Just for the record, I really am sorry. This isn’t how I wanted things to go.” 

Olivia didn’t respond, and instead slammed the door in his face. A stunned Francis turned around and began walking home. 

Against all reason, Francis felt impossibly light. He should feel awful, like shit, for how he’d just made Olivia feel. She wasn’t his soulmate, by any means, but she’d been a great friend to him for many years, and it hadn’t been easy to hurt her. 

Instead, he felt like a weight had been lifted off his chest, like his lungs had been crushed and he was only now able to breathe fully again. Francis walked with a slight spring in his step as he continued home. 

He slipped inside as quietly as he possibly could, eager to go to bed and sleep off the emotional events of the day. But there was one last thing he needed to do first. 

He crept upstairs and headed towards Bash’s door before turning the handle and entering, trying to make as little noise as possible. His half-brother was already asleep, sprawled out across his bed. The light from the hallway illuminated Bash’s sleeping face, and Frances crept up to him. 

In one swift motion, he grabbed Bash’s collar and yanked his brother upwards. Bash’s eyes shot open, startled. 

“ _ Stay away from her _ ,” Francis growled, his voice low and quiet. “ _ Stay away from her, or I’ll make sure you regret it.”  _

Bash was silent, meeting Francis’s furious gaze with his own steely stare. No further words were exchanged; they didn’t need to be, there was nothing else to be said. Bash understood what his brother meant, and Francis’s message had been simple and clear. 

After a few seconds of silence, Francis let go of his brother’s collar and stalked out of the room. Bash sighed and layed back down in bed, staring at the ceiling as he thought. 

Francis returned to his room with a new sense of purpose and determination. He’d taken care of the easy bits, and now it was time for his greatest challenge yet: convincing Mary to forgive him. 

  
  


……….

  
  


Mary woke with a pounding headache, no doubt a result of all the crying she’d done the night before. When she stumbled into the bathroom to get ready for the school day, she saw that her eyes were puffy, and she sighed in exasperation. 

Thankfully, it was Friday, which meant she only had to get through one day of avoiding Francis before she could have the sweet shelter of the weekend. She readied herself quickly and set off to school, slipping her earbuds in and blasting music in an attempt to drown out her thoughts. Sleep had done little to ease her pain, and she knew it would only intensify when she inevitably caught a glimpse of him at school that day. 

So, she would need reinforcements to help her get through it. She sent off a text to her friends. 

**Mary:** _ Can you guys meet me before school for a few minutes? Something happened and I need you.  _

**Aylee:** _ Oh my gosh, Mary, are you okay??  _

**Kenna:** _???? _

**Mary:** _ No, but I hope I will be soon  _

**Greer:** _ I’m already on my way now. I’ll be there _

**Aylee:** _ Me too. We gotchu, girl _

**Lola:** _ I’m already here, so you can count on me.  _

**Kenna:** _ I was going to do my hair but it can wait. I’ll be there ASAP  _

**Greer:** _ Where should we meet you?  _

**Mary:** _ Third floor east bathrooms. They tend to be empty this time of day.  _

**Kenna:** _ Will do, boss.  _

**Lola:** _ See you soon Mary! We love you!  _

**Aylee:** _ <3 <3 <3  _

  
  


Mary smiled slightly as she slipped her phone back into her pocket, feeling grateful that she had such great friends, friends that would drop everything to make sure she was okay. At least that was a respite in her otherwise shitty morning. 

When Mary got to school, she slipped in as quietly as possible and took an unconventional route to their meeting spot, using hallways that weren’t likely to be occupied at this point in the day. She kept her guard up, alert, looking out for any sign of Francis. 

Thankfully, she didn’t have to wait in the bathroom long before her friends started streaming in. They arrived staggered, but were all there within minutes of each other. As each one entered, they hugged her and comforted her in their own ways; Kenna with a wry joke, Aylee with a tight bear hug, Lola with some gentle stroking of her hair, and Greer with an errant chocolate bar from her bag. 

Once everyone was there, Mary began. She wasn’t eager to explain the situation more than once, knowing reliving things would only break her heart a little further. 

She told them everything, about how pent-up feelings seemed to have culminated at a startling peak last night in the park. She told them about their studying, walking, and even splashing in the fountain. She kept a few pieces to herself, the most tender parts, the ones that were still too painful to share, like his confession of his wishes, how he held her gently as they stood in the water, and the deep conversations they’d shared. 

Nevertheless, her friends understood perfectly. 

“That  _ bastard _ ,” Kenna muttered. “Making a move on you when he’s all loved-up with Olivia, treating you like some side piece? Oh, the nerve on that one,” she seethed, her teeth gritted.

“Men are trash.” Greer remarked, nodding in agreement. 

“What can we do, Mary?” Aylee asked, gently resting her hand on her friend’s arm. 

“Help me avoid him.” Mary said. “I’m not ready to face him yet,” she admitted. 

“You can count on us,” Lola nodded, smiling at her softly. 

“Consider us your personal bodyguards, Mary,” Greer grinned. 

Mary smiled, tears threatening to spill once more. “You guys are the best,” she said, a lump in her throat. 

“Don’t mention it,” Kenna said. “You’re one of us now.” 

Mary’s four friends surrounded her in a hug, wrapping their arms around her. A spot of warmth and appreciation blossomed in her chest. She really was so grateful for her new friends, who had made her feel like part of the family from the moment she walked through the doors. 

The group spent the next few minutes before the bell rang deep in conversation, planning all the ways they could help Mary avoid Francis’s path. They assigned roles for lunch, for the halls, and even for classes themselves. Lola would quickly grab Mary’s things from her locker and bring them to her so she could avoid the main hallway. Kenna, Greer, and Aylee would guard Mary during their respective shared classes. They’d all eat lunch on the third floor, away from prying eyes. 

Mary felt significantly better now that she had the support and bolstering of her friends, and she put on a brave face, prepared to face the day. She just had to get through one more day, then she’d be able to have some Francis-free time. She’d think about the following weeks later. 

  
  


……….

  
  


Francis didn’t tell anyone about his breakup with Olivia, wanting to allow her a few days to mourn in private before it became public knowledge. After all, they were quite the it-couple of the Academie, and word would spread like wildfire once it was released. 

Olivia didn’t show up to school the next day,  _ and understandably so, _ Francis thought. He kept his mouth shut out of respect for her. Besides, the only person he cared about talking to that day was Mary. 

She was proving especially difficult to track down, though. He’d figured that she’d avoid him, and in fact, he’d practically planned for it. But he was determined to wiggle his way into her presence for at least a moment or two, hoping that he could say his piece and convince her to give him the time of day. 

His efforts remained fruitless for the first half of the day. She sat far away from him in their classes, well away from the possibility of making eye contact with him, and she was guarded by one of her friends. When the bells rang, Mary was always the first person to leave the room, springing up from her desk with impressive agility and swiftness. She and her friends ducked through crowds, making themselves inaccessible to him no matter how hard he tried. And, they managed to slip into the classrooms at the last possible moment, preventing him from talking to her in the moments between sitting down and class starting. 

Lunch was no different. Unsurprisingly, Mary and her friends’ usual table sat empty, the group having opted to eat elsewhere, no doubt. Francis sighed and endured the rest of lunch at his usual table with his friends, grateful that Olivia had chosen to stay home today so that he wouldn’t have to deal with the awkwardness of navigating who would sit where, who would leave. When asked where she was, he simply told people she wasn’t feeling good, which wasn’t entirely untrue. 

The classes after lunch were proving to be the same. He was determined, but Mary was even more so, her sneakiness and the help of her friends making her an impossible target to track down. Francis was beginning to give up hope of speaking with her today, knowing that as soon as the school day ended she would be lost to him for an entire weekend. But he had a stroke of luck at the very end of the day. 

Mary likely figured he’d be at the weekly student council meeting after school that day, and so she hadn’t taken as great of precautions in avoiding him. Francis was able to catch her as she slipped out of her last class. 

“Mary,” he whispered in a hushed tone. She whipped around, startled, and a look of alarm flashed across her face when she registered who had called for her. 

“Mary, please. I need to talk to you,” he pleaded. 

“There’s nothing to talk about,” she muttered in response. 

“Yes, there is. Please, Mary,” he tried once more. 

“ _ No, _ ” she snapped, her voice still quiet but harsh nonetheless. Before he had a chance to respond, she slipped into the throng of students all heading for the main entrance, and he lost her once more. 

He tried to follow her, but it was impossible to wade through the mass of bodies, and once he finally broke through outside, she was nowhere to be found. He sighed, resigning himself to what was proving to be a quite difficult task. But he was determined. He had to speak to her, had to tell her everything. He could only hope she’d understand once he did. 

Francis tried to see her again that evening, knocking on her door around dinnertime. No one answered, so he tried a few more times before giving up and walking back home. 

That night he called and texted her, but he received no responses. 

Next, he tried Kenna.

**Francis** :  _ Hey Kenna, I know Mary is furious with me and I’m the last person she wants to see right now, but I really need to talk to her. Please, it’s important.  _

Moments later, his phone buzzed with a response. 

**Kenna:** _ Piss off, Valois.  _

He tried texting Mary and Kenna multiple times throughout the night as he sat in his room, fretting. It was past midnight when Francis decided to call it quits for the day, promising to try again tomorrow. 

And try again tomorrow he did. He woke with a newfound sense of optimism and whistled to himself as he got ready for the day, grabbed his backpack, phone, and powerbank, and headed to the kitchen to fill his backpack with snacks and water. 

Francis walked the couple blocks to Mary’s place and knocked on her door again, knowing she probably wouldn’t answer. He didn’t care, he wasn’t expecting her to. Not right away, at least. That was the point of today. He was going to stake out on her doorstep until he had a chance to say his piece. 

He knocked routinely every half hour for most of the day, along with texting her, too. 

At 11AM, it was “ _ Good morning, Mary. I’m at your door, I really do need to talk to you.”  _

1 PM read “ _ Still here! I’m getting to know your street very well, actually. I met your neighbor Fred. He’s quite nice, you’d like him, if you haven’t met him already.”  _

At 3PM he texted “ _ Ugh, I’m getting bored. There’s only so many hours of netflix one can watch in a day. I’m seriously debating counting the fibers on your welcome mat.”  _

5PM read  _ “One can live off of granola bars for a while, you know. I planned ahead.”  _

7PM’s text said “ _ Which version of ‘Proud Mary’ do you like more, Creedence Clearwater Revival’s or Tina Turner’s?”  _

At 9PM he sent a few texts, his last hurrah. 

“ _ It’s quite chilly, you know.” _

_ “I wonder what you could be doing in there.”  _

_ “Are you going to let me see you at any point, or are you just going to become a hermit forever?”  _

_ “Mary, please.”  _

_ “I’m begging you. Just listen to what I have to say. If you’re still upset, I’ll leave you alone, I promise.”  _

At 9:25, he finally received a response. 

**Mary:** _ It’s late, go home. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Noon, our spot. _

Francis smiled widely and gathered his things. He walked home much more calmly than his morning walk had been. 

When he got home, his mother looked at him, confused and a little outraged. 

“Where in the world have you been all day?” Catherine asked. 

“Out,” he replied. 

“That’s not going to cut it,” his mother said knowingly. He was silent. 

“It’s Mary, isn’t it.” she said knowingly.

“Possibly,” he replied. 

Catherine sighed. “I knew from the moment she returned to this house that that girl was going to be the death of you, I swear.” 

Francis grinned. “Death of me, I don’t know about  _ that _ .” 

“You wait and see,” she said, shooting him a look. 

“I broke up with Olivia.” Francis blurted out. 

His mother looked at him with a shocked expression on her face. “You did  _ what? _ ” 

“I broke up with Olivia,” Francis repeated, turning to meet her gaze.

“Why in the world would you do that?” Catherine berated. 

“Because I don’t love her anymore.” Francis replied, simple as that. 

“You love Mary, now, don’t you?” she looked at him, rolling her eyes slightly. 

“Maybe I do,” he shrugged. 

Catherine sighed. “I sure hope you know what you’re doing, Francis Valois.” 

“Don’t worry, Mom. I do.” Francis said assuredly. And he did, he’d never been more confident with a decision in his entire life. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to acknowledge that what Francis did would normally be super creepy and harassment. But I made him do it anyways because ~love~.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mary meets Francis in the park.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slightly shorter than normal but I wanted to get this out and published!!

Mary slept restlessly, tossing and turning as her dreams were filled with images of Francis. She dreamt of meeting Francis in the park, only once she got there, he didn’t seem to see her. 

She yelled until her voice was hoarse, she waved her arms in front of his face, but to no avail. He continued to look around, seemingly for her, and she started to cry as a look of disappointment crossed his face. 

_ “Francis!” dream her had yelled. “Francis, I’m right here!”  _

But nothing. He couldn’t hear her, no matter how loud she yelled, couldn’t see her, no matter how much she waved and jumped. After a while, he started walking away from her, his head hung low. Mary had to watch as he retreated, and right into the arms of Olivia. 

Mary woke with tears leaking from her eyes and staining her pillow. For a moment, she was relieved at realizing that it was just a dream, but then the actual reality set in, and she felt so much worse. 

Mary sighed. She had agreed to meet with him that day, against her better judgement. But all throughout yesterday, she’d routinely peeked out her bedroom window and had seen him there on her porch, and the sight made her heart ache. 

Mary had started her Saturday with a yoga session to calm her down and keep her busy. She’d taken her time showering and had immediately changed into her “comfy clothes”, and when she settled down in front of the TV with a bowl of cereal, fully intending to binge-watch Netflix for a couple hours as she wallowed in her misery, her phone buzzed. 

She had grabbed it, thinking it would be one of her friends checking in on her to see how she was doing. Instead, she’d seen a text from Francis, telling her that he was outside and wanted to speak with her. She wasn’t entirely surprised that he had texted in an attempt to talk to her, but coming to her house? That, she wasn’t expecting. 

Mary had tiptoed towards her door and held her breath as she looked through the peephole, and lo and behold, she spotted the top of a familiar head of curly blonde hair.  _ Was he sitting?  _ She hurried up the stairs and into her bedroom to look through the front-facing window, where she could get a better view. 

Francis had been sitting on her front steps, unexpectedly relaxed, seeming to have made himself at home. He was thumbing through a worn paperback,  _ likely a favorite _ , Mary had hypothesized. She couldn’t make out the title, and she had the instinct to rush outside and ask him what he was reading. 

_ No,  _ she told herself. She was  _ not  _ going to break. Mary knew she was going to have to face Francis sometime soon; probably Monday, even. She couldn’t go on avoiding him in class, and she also couldn’t stand to skip her extracurriculars any more than she already had. But she was eager to push off facing him as long as possible. While she knew a confrontation was inevitable, she wanted to give herself the best chance of coming away unscathed, wanted to heal as much as she could first, before she had to see his handsome face and be reminded of Thursday night’s events all over again. 

Mary had figured that he’d give up after an hour or so. After all, there was only so much time that someone could sit on a cramped doorstep. But to Mary’s surprise and chagrin, he hadn’t left. Another text arrived at 1PM, and when she peeked through her window again, there he was, still there. 

The thought of him waiting out there on the hard concrete, all by himself, had made her heart ache. She had so badly wanted to run to him, but she wouldn’t let herself. She had been determined to put off seeing him for as long as possible. 

Mary had decided to distract herself as best as she could, which was made difficult by the fact that she physically could not leave the house without running into him. Thankfully, her mother was out of town at a “spa weekend”, removing one potentially complicated variable from the equation. 

To keep herself occupied, she had texted her friends and even facetimed some of them, and they bemoaned the situation alongside her. But as the hours passed by, she had been surprised to see that a few of the girls were changing their tunes. 

_ “It’s 2PM, and he’s still there?? Either he’s insane or he really likes you,”  _ Greer had texted. 

“ _ Mary, maybe you should get it over with and listen to what he has to say? It doesn’t seem like he’s going to give up anytime soon,”  _ Aylee said. 

_ “I think you should give him a chance,”  _ Lola replied. 

Only Kenna had sided with Mary, a fact which she suspected might be due to Kenna’s slightly vindictive side that came out when she or someone she loved was wronged. 

“ _ Let him bore himself to death out there. It’s what he deserves,”  _ her friend had messaged. 

As the hours passed, she continued to receive more texts from him, and she periodically peeked at the steps to check on him. She watched as he finished his book, watched something on his phone, and did some homework. He even walked up and down the stoop a few times, and Mary was especially surprised to see him conversing familiarly with her neighbors.

She had felt her resolve start to weaken, so she’d buried herself in homework in efforts to get him out of her mind. But she had had trouble focusing, and had to constantly fight the urge to look at him from her window. She worked out a system where every 20 minutes she spent studying, she got to sneak a peek. 

At around 8, the sun had started to set, and Mary was exasperated at seeing him still on her steps, running on granola bars and water bottles and probably achy all over from sitting on the concrete all day. Plus, she had known it would start to get cold soon, and she couldn’t help but worry about him. She had wanted him to leave, for his sake as much as hers. But alas, he hadn’t moved. 

Her mind had raced as she thought of him all alone out there, hungry and sore and probably starting to get cold. Knowing he was there all along, waiting for her, had made her day impossibly distracting, and now she was starting to get really worried. 

It was around 9PM when his texts had increased in both frequency and urgency. At around 9:30, the dam had finally broken, and she gave in. 

With a sigh, she had texted him saying she’d meet him the next day. She watched from the tiniest sliver between her curtains as he had excitedly whipped out his phone, and a smile spread across his face once he read her words. Mary watched him collect his things and head down the block, finally leaving her doorstep empty. She didn’t stop watching from the window until she could no longer see his retreating figure as he faded into the dark of night. 

The decision had seemed like the right one in the moment, but now that the morning had come and the agreed-upon meeting was encroaching on her rapidly, Mary started to regret her choice. As she laid in her bed, she groaned and rubbed the sleep from her eyes with the palms of her hands. The clock read 9:55, and if she wanted to avoid looking like a mountain troll, she knew she’d better get ready now. 

Mary slid out of bed and tied her hair up before hopping into the shower. Once finished she fixed her dark waves, curling them slightly to polish off her natural texture, and applied some light makeup. She headed back to her room and into her closet, picking an outfit that was chic and put-together; she knew that looking refined and capable on the outside would help her feel more like that on the inside. Mary dressed, slipping on a sheer white polka-dot blouse, some high-waisted camel-colored pants, and a pair of white sneakers. She didn’t bother to eat breakfast, her nerves having made her nauseous. 

At a quarter-till, Mary slipped out the door. She began her walk to Central Park, hoping to get there before him so that she’d have a slight “ _ home field advantage” _ , so to speak. As she approached the Bethesda fountain, which was crowded with hoards of New Yorkers enjoying the pleasant Sunday weather, she realized she could give up on that; there he was, in the exact same spot they had sat a few days prior. 

Mary saw him before he saw her, giving her a few seconds to take him in before he inevitably spotted her. He was dressed casually in a pair of black joggers, a worn-in white tee, a denim jacket, and a pair of white sneakers. His blonde curls were as perfect as ever, and he paced back and forth slightly as he looked around for her. 

When he spotted her, a wide smile instinctively broke out on his face, which he stifled almost immediately upon seeing her own stoic expression. She stared at the ground as she approached him, avoiding his eye contact. 

“I was worried you wouldn’t come,” he admitted, and Mary’s eyes snapped upwards to meet his. He looked nervous, albeit handsome, and she felt her breath catch slightly upon looking into his crystal blue eyes; somehow, he had the ability to take her breath away every time, even though it certainly wasn’t the first time she admired his face. She mentally scolded herself, forcing his actions into the forefront of her memory. 

“Well, I’m here, aren’t I?” she said, slightly harshly. 

“You are, and thank you. I know you really didn’t want to.” Francis said with a nervous smile. “Should we sit?” 

“If you want,” Mary shrugged, hoping she appeared disinterested. She followed his lead as they sat on the edge of the fountain. 

“Mary--” he started, but at the same time, she spoke. 

“What is it you want to say?” 

He bit his lip and took a deep breath. She looked at him expectantly, eager to get this over with. She squared her shoulders and sat up straight, hoping she looked strong and brave. 

“Well, first, I want to say that I’m so, so sorry, Mary. I really am. There aren’t words to explain how sorry I am. I led you on even though I had a girlfriend and that is totally unacceptable. I nearly cheated, and you don’t deserve to be the other woman. Worst of all, I hurt you, and I will never forgive myself for that.” He looked at her with intense, pleading eyes, his face serious. 

Mary was momentarily taken aback; did she hear him say “ _ I had a girlfriend”?  _ She shook the thought from her mind, deciding not to dwell on it. 

He paused before continuing. “The next thing I need to say is that I like you, Mary.” 

Mary froze, stunned. That was certainly not what she was expecting him to say. 

“I like you a lot. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. You’re all I can think about. I’m crazy about you.” 

A swell of joy spread through her chest for a moment, before she forced herself down to earth. She was absolutely ecstatic that he had feelings for her too, but that didn’t change the situation. He was with someone else; he’d picked Olivia, not her.

She kept her face stoic. “You have a girlfriend, Francis.” she stated plainly. 

“Well, about that. The third thing I need to say to you is that I broke up with Olivia.” 

Mary’s mind raced. She didn’t know what to think, what to feel. If he wasn’t with Olivia anymore, did that mean...that he wanted to be with her? 

“Why?” she asked in a near whisper, confused. “Why now?” 

“Well, there are multiple reasons. But the main one is you.” 

Mary looked deep into his bright blue eyes, seeing what she had often suspected was longing, and she allowed herself to believe those suspicions. Could it be true? Could he want her as badly as she wanted him? That changes everything. 

She was silent, stunned, unsure of how to respond. 

Francis cleared his throat awkwardly, seemingly taking her silence as rejection or apprehension. 

“I thought about breaking up with Olivia before you even came here. But when I met you, and I got to know you, and I started falling in lo-- when I started liking you, I knew I had to break things off with her.” 

“Then why didn’t you break up with her sooner?” Mary asked, her head still spinning. 

Francis sighed in exasperation. “That’s the thing. Do you remember the night you came over to my house?” 

“Yes,” Mary nodded apprehensively. “After the second day of school.” 

“That was when I knew I needed to break up with her.” 

Mary’s eyes widened in shock. That was nearly a month ago! “Why didn’t you do it then?” she asked. 

“I was planning on doing it the very next day. I wanted things to be over with her so that I could see if you felt the same way about me. But the morning I was planning on breaking up with her, she found out that her parents are getting divorced.” 

“Oh,” Mary said quietly, her gaze drifting towards her lap. 

“She was absolutely distraught. I wanted to break up with her then, but I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t make her hurt even more than she was already hurting. And not because I love her still, I don’t. But because she’s my friend, and we’ve been together for a long time, and she deserved better than that.” 

“That makes sense,” Mary said, nodding her head timidly. 

“So, yeah. I’ve been just...waiting for her to start feeling better, I guess. But after what happened Thursday, after I saw how much my indecision and foolishness had hurt you….” Francis swallowed thickly. “I couldn’t wait any longer. I broke up with her that night.” 

“That night?” Mary gasped, still facing downwards, her brows knit in confusion. “But that must’ve been so late.” 

He shrugged sadly. “Like I said, I couldn’t wait any longer.” 

Mary was silent still. Her whole body felt frozen, her brain spinning so quickly in an attempt to reconcile this new information. She kept her gaze downward, staring into her lap. 

“Mary,” Francis said softly, leaning in a little closer towards her. He tentatively reached out for her hand where it rested on her knees and placed his own on top of hers. 

“You don’t have to say that you feel the same. It’s fine, I’ll understand. But I need you to know how I feel. Mary, I like you, a lot. The way you make me feel, it’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. You make me feel like the best version of myself, like a guy who can do anything, and you push me to be even better. Whenever I see you, I feel like I can’t breathe. And holding all of this in for the last month has been absolutely killing me. It’s been agony, you have no idea, no idea how many times I’ve wanted to sweep you up in my arms and kiss you senselessly and tell you how much I care for you. But I haven’t been able to, and maybe I shouldn’t have tried to spare Olivia’s feelings for so long, but all that doesn’t matter now. All that matters is that I...Mary, I think I love you. No, I know I love you. I’ve loved you since we were kids playing in this very fountain. Maybe that’s crazy, it’s only been a month since I saw you again, but it’s true. I know how I feel. And I guess I just needed to get that out there, to let you know that I  _ love  _ you, I love you so goddamn much. And if you don’t feel the same I’ll understand, you can tell me to fuck off and I’ll leave you alone forever, if that’s what you---” 

Mary found her voice. “I love you too, Francis.” she said quietly, looking up into his blue eyes. 

“--want, I promise, I won’t bother you anymore, and---wait, did you just say that you love me?” he looked at her with wide eyes, excited but tentative, like he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. 

Mary grinned widely. “I did.” 

Francis shook his head in disbelief. “Say it again, I need to hear it again or I won’t be able to believe you.” 

Mary laughed. “Francis Valois, I love you too. I love you completely and utterly, and it’s not crazy, and I love you a whole lot, too.” 

Francis stared at her with wide, intense eyes, his chest heaving, and his body frozen with shock. 

After a few moments of silence, Mary was starting to get worried, but before she could open her mouth to speak, he was reaching his hands out to cup her cheeks and frantically pressing his lips against hers. 

For a split second she was frozen, overtaken by surprise, but then she was kissing him back with the same passion and fervor, giving herself entirely to him, and attempting to express all of her desire, her longing, her  _ love  _ through her kiss. Mary felt like fireworks were going off under her skin, and a flush filled her whole body. 

Months of unspoken words flowed between their joined lips. She could feel in his kiss how genuine and nearly painful his longing for her was, and it finally dawned on her that he had been falling for her completely, just as she had been for him.

Mary had only been kissed by two boys before. The first hardly counted, it was on a playground when she was 10, a result of a dare. The second occurred when she was 14, with her first boyfriend Tomas, and she distinctly remembered thinking it was much  _ wetter _ than she thought it would be. She’d also expected kissing Tomas to be romantic and pleasurable, but it was pleasant, and nothing more. Let’s just say that she never complained when their kisses stopped. 

But this,  _ this  _ was something different entirely. Kissing Francis was like taking a deep breath after being underwater for too long. Was this what she had been missing? This was hands-down the greatest kiss Mary had ever felt in her entire life. Not that she had many to compare it to, but she could just tell that this was a  _ really good kiss,  _ even with her lack of experience. 

She reflexively whimpered in complaint when he pulled away. He rested his forehead against her own and looked deep into her eyes, grasping either side of her face with his strong, yet incredibly gentle hands, and Mary knew the passion in his eyes was matched with equal vividity in her own. She felt her heart warm as he gazed at her lovingly. They both broke out into wide, disbelieved grins, the moment something that they had both dreamt of for so long but never thought they’d actually experience. 

“ _ Holy shit, _ ” Mary blurted out in a whisper. 

“Yeah,” Francis chuckled. “Holy shit is right.” 

PICS: (because I love a good visual and I hope you do too!) 

The house I envision for Mary and her mom: (4 East 74th Street; this townhouse has passed through many famous hands, including Michael Jackson and artist Marc Chagall, and it also was used as the exterior for Nate's house in Gossip Girl...seriously, go look up this townhouse if you're into architecture/interiors, it's AMAZING) 

Mary's outfit (minus the shades)  


Francis's outfit: 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay!! They did it! 
> 
> For reference, 100% picture Mary and Francis's actual first kiss on the show with their kiss in this chapter. You know, minus the angst right after it. 
> 
> A few notes: 
> 
> I picked Central Park for their special spot because it's the biggest accessible outdoors space in their immediate vicinity, and I wanted to maintain the gardens/forest/nature being special to the two of them. 
> 
> I'm portraying Mary as a little bit less confident/sure of herself than I think she is in seasons 2-4, but that's because I think that when Mary first arrived at court and throughout the first half of season 1, she was still uncertain and hadn't fully grown into her strength and bravery. I hope you guys see some character progression here and that she's coming into the fierce queen we all know and love! And I hope you also see that Francis helps bring that out in her, helps her see that she is strong and capable, because that's how I feel like it was on the show! 
> 
> And vice versa, I feel like Mary helped Francis become the best man and king that he could be. I hope that shows in this too! :) 
> 
> As always, thanks so much for reading! I would love to know what you guys think, so please please comment!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mary and Francis spend more time together after their moment in the park.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, those of you who are actually reading this!
> 
> I apologize for not updating recently, I just started medical school so I've been busy adjusting to that and my free time has been minimal. But I'm loving writing this story and I hope you're loving reading it! Thank you so much for reading!

Joy ran through Francis’s veins like a drug; kissing Mary was absolutely euphoric. He’d kissed plenty of people, more than he cared to admit, if he was being honest, but nothing had ever felt quite like this before. Nothing could compare to kissing someone that he had fallen in love with, someone who had the power to send his heart racing with a single glance. 

When they finally came up for air, Francis couldn’t help the dumbfounded grin that spread across his face. This outcome was certainly not what he’d anticipated, and was better than he could’ve ever imagined. 

As he had walked to the park that morning, he’d run through the ways their meeting could go. Worse case scenario, she would reject his apology and tell him she never wanted to speak to him again. Thinking of that possibility made his stomach churn; he wasn’t sure if he could live a life without Mary anymore. The best case scenario was she forgave him and didn’t immediately dismiss him when he told her how he felt. 

Never in his wildest dreams did he think that she’d tell him that she felt the same way. 

“So what does this mean?” she asked in hushed tones, afraid to break the bubble of peace surrounding them. 

“I don’t know,” he admitted honestly. “What do you want it to mean?” 

Mary flushed. “...I don’t know,” she chuckled. “Do we have to decide now?” 

“Of course not,” Francis replied, shaking his head. 

“Okay,” Mary said with a quiet exhale, resting her forehead against his. 

Francis’s hands had migrated from her cheeks; one was flush against her lower back, the heat of her skin palpable on his palm even through the thin fabric of her shirt. His other hand was threaded throughout her hair at the base of her skull, and noted that her dark locks were just as soft as he’d always thought they’d be. 

He pulled away slightly so he could get a better look at her face; her already beautiful features were flushed and enhanced by his kiss. Her dark eyes looked impossibly wider, her pupils blown. Her plump lips seemed to be even fuller and slightly swollen. The normally faint rosy hue of her cheeks was now a fully flushed pink, and he instinctively reached up to touch her cheek with a gentle caress. 

Unable to control the urge that overcame him, Francis leaned in again and captured her lips with his, knitting his hands tighter in her hair and pulling her even closer to him. He wasn’t sure how long they stayed like that, absorbed in the taste and feel of each other. It could’ve been minutes, or even hours, he truly didn’t know. Judging by the quickening beat of her heart and the fervor with which she returned his kisses and embrace, she didn’t seem to be paying attention to the passing time either. 

At some point, though, they were snapped out of their reverie at the sound of a throat clearing loudly. He broke away from Mary, already missing her touch, to see a nearby father shooting them a dirty look as he tried to direct his child’s attention far away from the lovestruck teens making out in a very public place. 

Francis gave him an apologetic look and took Mary’s hand in his. 

“We should probably go,” he muttered with a smile. 

“Wouldn’t want to scar these poor children any more than we already have, huh,” Mary laughed. 

They walked around the park together, hand in hand, and Mary nuzzled herself into his side. The sun beamed down on them, warming them from the slight breeze that danced through the air. 

“Are you hungry?” Francis asked, looking down at her. 

“I could eat,” she admitted, biting her lip. 

“I’ve certainly got an appetite,” Francis said with a grin. “Oh, and food sounds good, too.” 

“ _ Francis!”  _ Mary giggled, nudging him. 

“What can I say, Mary?” He smirked, looking down at her. “You make me  _ insatiable.”  _

  
  


……….

  
  


After both Mary and Francis’s bellies were full of waffles and fresh fruit, the pair meandered back to Francis’s house, at his suggestion. They were greeted by the surprised and excited chorus of his younger siblings, who were absolutely ecstatic that their new favorite person had shown up unannounced. 

“ _ Mary!”  _ Margot squealed. “What are you doing here?” 

“What, I can’t pay my favorite 8-year-old a visit?” she teased. 

“No, no! Of course you can!” she grinned. “I just didn’t know that you were coming! If Francis had told us,” she looked at her older brother pointedly. “I would’ve worn my Elsa dress.” 

Mary bent down to face Margot on her level. “Well how about I pretend I didn’t see you already, and you run upstairs and go change now?” 

Margot took off in a fit of giggles, rushing up the grand staircase. 

“Hi Mary,” Henri said with a wave. He had a slightly mischievous expression on his face, and Mary was about to ask why before Henri opened his mouth to yell out. 

“ _ Charlesssss!”  _ he exclaimed. “Your  _ crush  _ is here!” 

Mary’s mouth dropped open in surprise. She looked at Francis for an explanation, but he just shrugged, equally surprised and amused. 

Charles strolled in, attempting to look nonchalant. “She’s not my  _ crush _ , Henri,” he said, punching his brother in the arm. “Hello, Mary,” he smiled at her, and she noticed him stand up a little straighter. 

“Hi Charles,” she returned his smile. At the flush that crossed Charles’s face, Francis leaned over and whispered into her ear. 

“It appears I’m not the only Valois son that’s enamored with you, Mary Stuart.” 

Mary stifled a laugh. “Oh, do shut up!” she hissed back at him. He only chuckled in response. 

“Is that Mary I hear?” Claude peeked her head over the railing from the floor above. Her curly brown hair fell around her face. 

“The one and only,” Francis replied. 

“Ooh, Mary, can you show us some flips now?” she asked curiously. 

“Uhh,” she paused. “I don’t know…” 

“Why not? You’re wearing pants now.” Henri pointed out. 

“Well they’re not the most stretchy of pants,” Mary gestured. 

“You can borrow something of mine,” Claude called out from overhead. 

“But there’s not really a...soft surface for me to do it on. I don’t want to hurt my wrists.” 

“The gym has springy floors.” Charles chimed in. “We can go down there.” 

Mary paused and bit her lip. Francis turned to her, grinning. “Looks like you’re not getting out of it this time.” 

She sighed and grinned in defeat. “I suppose not.”

“Yay!” Claude squealed. “Come up here and I’ll find something for you.” 

Mary made her way up the stairs and followed Claude to her room, and was immediately met by loud music, clothes scattered all over the floor, and a makeup vanity that was littered with products as if its user had left mid-process. 

She walked slowly, trying to carefully avoid Claude’s things sprawled across the room. Upon seeing her apprehension, the 14 year-old responded. 

“Oh, yeah, sorry about the mess,” Claude said casually. 

“No worries,” Mary replied with a smile. She waited as Claude went to her massive closet and began sorting through a drawer that appeared to be filled with activewear. Mary watched as the girl pulled out a pair of tiny spandex shorts. 

“Would this work? I’ve seen some of the other girls wear these to your practices.” 

Mary hesitated. Claude wasn’t wrong, the shorts were certainly the same amount of coverage as she normally practiced in. But here, in front of Francis, the boy she had just declared her love for? And not to mention in front of his younger siblings? The last thing she wanted to do was expose her entire legs, and likely part of her butt, at the Valois house. 

“Uh,” Mary began. “Do you have something a little longer? Like maybe leggings?” 

Claude smirked. “If you’re worried about Francis seeing your legs, you don’t need to be.” She continued to rifle through her things as she kept talking. “I heard him talking to Bash about how nice your legs looked a few weeks ago.” 

“ _ What? _ ” Mary squeaked. 

“Oh, don’t be weird about it!” Claude insisted, tossing Mary a pair of black leggings. “It wasn’t in a creepy, objectifying way.” 

“Um..how did that come up?” Mary asked. She couldn’t help herself from pressing a little more. 

“I only caught part of the conversation,” Claude chuckled. “But I heard Francis complaining about how his teammates were talking about how hot you were. And Bash was teasing him, telling Francis to stop trying to be valiant and admit that he agreed with them.”

“Oh,” Mary replied, not sure of how to respond. She could feel her cheeks flush. Luckily, she was saved from trying to come up with a response, because Claude whipped out a worn “ _ Fontainebleau Football _ ” t-shirt and threw it her way. 

Mary figured that the girl was going to leave the room to give her privacy, but Claude surprised her by plopping down on the bed, clearly planning on waiting for her.  _ Privacy doesn’t seem to be much of a thing to Claude _ , she thought to herself. 

_ No matter, _ Mary thought.  _ I’ve changed in front of people I know a lot less, on many occasions.  _

It didn’t stop her from being slightly nervous as she undid the buttons on her top and slid it off. 

Claude was scrolling through her phone aimlessly, to Mary’s relief, but all of a sudden she looked up. 

“You do have nice legs,” she interjected casually. “And a really nice body overall. Damn, I wish I had your boobs. Mine are tiny! Look at these!” Claude grasped at her chest. 

Mary blushed. “Umm, thanks, I think?” 

“Welcome,” Claude replied, returning her attention to her phone. 

“And for what it’s worth,” Mary added. “I think you have nice boobs too. You don’t need to feel self-conscious about them. You’re probably still growing.” 

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Claude sighed. “I just wish they would grow  _ faster _ ! Livvie Bourbon, in my grade, she’s already a D-cup!” 

“Everyone grows at a different rate,” Mary insisted. “Believe me, I was like, four-foot-eight and flat as a beanpole until I was 14.” 

Claude grinned. “Really?” 

“I swear it,” Mary insisted. 

“Thanks, Mary,” Claude smiled. “You’re cool.” 

“You’re cool too, Claude,” Mary smiled back. 

She made quick work of finishing changing into Claude’s clothes. The leggings fit well, albeit slightly short, and the t-shirt was actually quite baggy on Mary. She was thankful that Claude hadn’t handed her something tight. 

Mary folded her clothes neatly, and Claude, as if reading her mind, spoke. “You can just leave those in here for now,” she replied as she got up from the bed and headed for the door.

Mary followed her down several flights of stairs and into the Valois’ home gym, where she saw the spongy floors that she had been promised. It was the kind of flooring designed not to shake the whole house if someone dropped a free-weight, and Mary had to admit that it was more than adequate cushioning for her wrists. 

Francis, Claude, Henri, and Margot awaited them, and when Mary followed Claude inside she was met by a beaming grin from Francis. 

“That’s my shirt,” he said, smirking. 

“It is?” she said, surprised, and turned to Claude. “Claude gave it to me,” she insisted, hesitant. 

“Sorry, accident,” Claude shrugged. “Must’ve gotten mixed up in my laundry.” 

But the look on Claude’s face told Mary that she wasn’t innocent, that she probably purposefully gave Mary a stolen shirt of Francis’s to wear. The realization that she was wearing Francis’s clothes made her heart swell, and then led her mind to think about Francis  _ shirtless, _ which made her blush furiously. She forced herself to get her mind out of the gutter. 

“Well,” Claude clapped her hands together. “Let’s see it, then.” 

“What exactly do you want to see?” Mary asked. 

“A flip! Duh!” Henri insisted. 

Mary laughed. “Well there are lots of different kinds of flips.” 

“Show us whatever, then.” Claude added. 

“I need to stretch first,” Mary replied. 

Sensing her discomfort at the thought of stretching out while they all just stood and watched, Francis interjected. “We’ll all stretch with you, won’t we, guys?” 

The kids shrugged and agreed. Mary led them in a series of gentle stretches, ones that they could handle but that still gave her a chance to push a little deeper and actually give her a good stretch. Before long her muscles were warm and she was ready to go. 

“Okay, so I guess the most basic one would be a back handspring,” she said, pausing to make sure they were all out of kicking distance before launching herself backwards into a tight, practiced handspring. She felt her shirt ride up to expose her stomach, and she cursed herself for not thinking to tuck her shirt in until just now. Once she was back on her feet, she did so, making sure the hem of the baggy tee was secured. 

“Woah!” Margot exclaimed, stepping forward instinctively. Thankfully, Francis’s hand rested gently on her shoulder and prevented her from going any further. 

“Do something else!” Henri insisted, bouncing on the balls of his feet. 

Mary obliged, demonstrating a quick back-tuck, which got her another series of cheers. 

“Another!” Margot clapped excitedly. 

Mary surveyed the area around her, and after she deemed that she had enough room, she showed them a pike, a layout, and a full twist. 

“Holy shit!” Charles exclaimed. 

“ _ Language! _ ” Francis said pointedly, but he failed to stifle a chuckle. 

“Sorry, but that was frickin’ awesome.” Charles said with a wide grin. 

“Thanks,” Mary replied, smiling at him, and she didn’t miss how the boy’s cheeks turned bright red once more. 

Claude, Henri, and Margot sang her praises, in awe of her skill. 

“I told you guys she was amazing,” Francis said. 

“You did?” Mary asked, looking at him quizzically. 

“Of course,” he replied, as if boasting about her talent was the most casual thing in the world. 

“Can you teach me something, Mary?” Margot ran up to her and grabbed her hands. 

“Sure!” Mary replied. “Do you know how to do a cartwheel?” 

“Of course,” Margot insisted, shocked that her skill would be called into question. “I’m eight, not  _ six _ .” she scoffed. 

Mary fought a giggle. “Oh, of course, how silly of me.” 

She gestured for Francis to come and join her. “I’ll need an assistant for this,” she said. He obliged, smiling at her as he joined her. 

Mary put her hands on her hips. “We’re going to teach you how to do a roundoff! It’s like a cartwheel, but you land on both feet.” 

“Yay!” Margot grinned. “Can you show me what it looks like?” 

Mary did so, and Margot’s eyes widened at the sight. 

“Are you sure I can do that?” she asked, unsure. 

“Of course you can!” Mary insisted. “It may seem hard at first, but you’ll get it!” 

“I dunno…” the littlest Valois chewed on her lip. 

“Can I tell you a secret?” Mary asked, bending down. Margot nodded solemnly. 

“When I first learned, I was scared, too.” 

“You were?” the girl replied, shocked. 

“Deathly scared! But then I practiced, and now it doesn’t scare me anymore.” 

“Okay,” Margot smiled slightly. “I guess I’m ready.” 

“Good!” Mary clapped her hands together authoritatively. She practiced a few cartwheels with Margot before showing her how the goal was to turn her body slightly and land on both feet instead of one. She had Francis help her to hold Margot’s little torso as she tentatively tried the new maneuver, and they guided her through it several times before the girl was ready to try it on her own. To Mary’s delight, Margot was a natural. 

“You did it!” she exclaimed. Francis clapped and cheered, and the other siblings joined in. 

“I did?” Margot said, beaming. 

“You did!” Mary insisted. She held her arms out to the girl, who quickly ran into Mary’s celebratory embrace. 

“You’re such a good teacher, Mary!” Margot said, nuzzling into Mary’s shoulder. 

“Aww, thanks!” she replied. 

All of a sudden, another voice chimed in from the sidelines. 

“Can you teach me, next?” Henri asked. 

Mary chuckled and got to work. 

  
  


………….

  
  


It wasn’t until after dark that Mary realized she should probably head home. She’d spent nearly the whole day with Francis, and already the thought of leaving him was almost painful. But she didn’t want to overstay her welcome or stay late into the night, no matter how much fun she was having. 

Francis insisted on walking her home, a fact that Mary was grateful for, as it gave her some more alone time with him. It wasn’t that she didn’t love the company of his siblings, but they’d barely had a second alone since arriving after their late brunch. 

The pair strolled, hand in hand, thankful for the cover of the darkness, since they were eager to avoid running into the prying eyes of a classmate so early on. 

“Mary,” Francis said tentatively as they walked. 

“Yeah?” she replied, turning to look at him. 

“I’ve been thinking…” he swallowed thickly. “Would it be okay if we didn’t tell anyone about this yet?” 

Mary paused. “Of course, if that’s what you want.” she tried to keep the disappointment out of her voice.  _ Is he ashamed of me _ ? 

“It’s not that it’s what I  _ want, _ ” Francis said insistently. “It’s just that I don’t want to embarrass Olivia by moving on so soon.” 

“I understand,” Mary replied, biting her lip instinctively. His request wasn’t entirely unreasonable, he had just broken up with her only days before. If she had been in Olivia’s position, she supposed she would’ve wanted the same courtesy. 

“And I also don’t want people to think you’re just...a rebound, or something.” Francis said, his voice low and soft. 

Mary didn’t know what to say to that. She hadn’t even thought of that possibility until just now, and she felt a little foolish for not thinking of it. Had she been so swept up in the romance of Francis admitting his feelings that she hadn’t thought about whether she was a rebound?

Mary realized she had been quiet for too long when Francis spoke, worried. “Are you alright?” He stopped, turning towards her and grabbing both of her hands in his, making it impossible for her to avoid his gaze. 

“Of course,” she replied, trying to sound convincing. 

“Mary,” he said, his voice low and steady. He cupped her cheeks in his hands gently. “What’s wrong?” 

But how could she tell him? How could she admit that a whole new flood of worries and insecurities had just been unleashed, that she was now worried about always being second-tier to the girl he’d been with for so many years? That he was ashamed to tell his friends that he cared for her, that she was an embarrassment to him? She bit her lip and clenched her eyes to stop the flow of tears that was threatening to betray her stoic front. 

Apparently, she failed to dam the waterworks, because a tear trickled down her cheek and gave her away. 

“Mary?” Francis asked, alarmed now. He used one of his thumbs to brush away the tear. 

“Is it true, though?” Mary blurted out, immediately clenching her eyes shut again to avoid his gaze.

“Is what true?” Francis asked, his brows furrowed. 

“Am I a rebound? Are you...embarrassed of me?” 

“Mary,” Francis replied evenly. “Look at me, please.” 

She hesitantly opened her eyes to meet his. 

“You could  _ never _ be a rebound.” He insisted, using a thumb to softly caress her cheek. “And the  _ last  _ thing I am is embarrassed. How could I be? You’re amazing, and so out of my league! I’m lucky that you’ve even looked twice at me.” 

Mary chuckled softly. “You swear it?” 

“On my life,” Francis said stoically, his eyes wide. “I meant what I said earlier. I love you, Mary Stuart.” 

She grinned. “I love you too, Francis Valois.” Mary turned her head to press a kiss against his palm where it still rested against her cheek. 

“I don’t want to embarrass Olivia or give anyone the wrong idea about us, since I’m sure to them it would seem strange for me to move on so fast. But if that’s not what you want, we don’t have to do that. We can tell the whole school, hell, the whole city. Whatever you want to do is what we’ll do.” 

“No, you’re right,” Mary admitted. “We can wait a little longer for everyone to know.” 

“Okay,” Francis said, unsure. “Are you positive that’s okay with you?” 

“Absolutely.” Mary insisted. 

“Alright, then.” Francis said, grabbing her hand once more as they continued walking. 

“Can I tell my team, though?” Mary asked. 

“Of course! If that’s what you want,” Francis replied. “But only if I can tell Bash,” he grinned. 

“After today, I doubt he’d have a hard time figuring it out.” Mary giggled. 

“Yeah, I wasn’t exactly subtle, was I?” Francis laughed alongside her. “If he’s home yet, I’d be surprised if four little tattle-tales haven’t blabbed to him already.”

“You’re probably right,” Mary grinned. 

Before long, they were at her front porch, but neither wanted to let go just yet. They dawdled for a few minutes, continuing their conversation, until the tension in the air became too thick for Mary to resist. She grabbed his shirt lightly, and pulled him towards her. 

Mary felt his arms wrap around her waist and he tugged her closer. The feeling of her body pressed against Francis’s caused a blush to spread through her whole body. 

She stood on her toes slightly and leaned in to kiss him softly, wrapping her arms around his neck. He kissed her back, gently at first as he ran a hand through her hair, before pulling her impossibly closer, holding her flush against him. His strong arms were holding her so firmly that she figured if she went limp right then and there, he’d probably hold her up. 

She couldn’t help but gawk at the fact that he was so handsome and strong, yet so incredibly gentle and tender. He made her feel safe and warm and cared for. But the feeling of his muscles against her body, flexing gently under her fingertips, well...his strength and passion lit a fire within her. 

After several more minutes of slow, tender kisses, Mary felt things intensify. His kisses turned deeper, more passionate, probing into the very depths of her soul. He ran his hands down her sides and squeezed her hips slightly, earning a tiny moan from Mary. She could feel his breath quicken at the sound. Eager to explore his body too, she ran her hands along the planes of his back, his skin warm even through the fabric of his shirt. She couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like to have her skin on his skin, and the thought sent a pulse of desire through her. 

In a flurry, Mary felt her back press against the cool, hard wood of her front door. He pinned her against the flat surface and her heartbeat quickened as she reveled in the feeling of his body against hers, entwined. 

Francis kissed her with the deepest, most intense passion and longing, as if expressing his pent up desire from the last month of falling for her from afar. Mary met his every mood with desire of her own, absolutely euphoric as she lost herself in his embrace. One of Francis’s hands reached up to tangle in her dark hair, and his touch elicited a small moan from her lips. 

That moan seemed to spur him on, and he moved to kiss her along her jaw, peppering small kisses down her soft skin. Another moan escaped her mouth, and Francis seemed pleased with himself. 

He trailed his kisses down her jaw and to her neck, slowly adding in small sucks and nips, driving Mary absolutely wild. She could feel arousal pooling between her legs. _This is_ _divine,_ she thought. 

“Francis..” she moaned breathlessly. She could feel him smile against the skin of her neck, and he returned his attention to her lips, now swollen from his passionate kisses. They kissed for a while longer, peppering kisses on each other’s lips and faces and earlobes and necks, making up for the two months of kisses they had foolishly missed out on. After another few minutes, he pulled away. 

Francis raised an eyebrow and smirked. “If we keep this up, you’re never going to make it off of your porch.” 

Mary chuckled breathlessly. “I can think of worse places to be,” she grinned. “After all, didn’t you spend all of yesterday waiting on this very porch?” 

“I sure did,” Francis laughed. “And it wasn’t the most comfortable. Although, if I had known what we’d be doing on this porch 24 hours later, it would’ve made the waiting much easier.” 

Mary laughed and kissed him again, briefly and softly. “I really do need to be getting inside, huh?” 

“It would be wise,” Francis admitted with a grin. “Don’t get me wrong, though, I could kiss you all night and day.” 

“As lovely as that sounds,” Mary replied. “People would probably start looking for us after a while.” 

“And what a sight they’d find.” Francis wiggled his eyebrows, earning another laugh from her. 

“Goodnight, Francis,” Mary said softly. 

He leaned in again to kiss her a final time, his lips soft and warm on hers, and Mary’s heart felt so full that it could burst. 

He pulled away and spoke in a whisper. “ _ Goodnight, Mary.”  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wanted to highlight Mary getting the experience of having younger siblings and Claude getting to have a big sister. I hope that came through in this chapter! 
> 
> I would LOVE to hear from you guys! Knowing people are actually reading makes me want to keep writing haha


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The dust settles slightly around Francis and Mary, and they both deal with worries about their budding relationship.

The next day Mary woke with nervous butterflies in her stomach that persisted even as she got ready. She dressed in an airy green minidress and grey tights with some chunky-heeled chestnut boots, and braided her long hair into a loose side braid. She tried to distract herself by listening to music as she grabbed food and walked out the door, but it was no use; she couldn’t keep her nerves from being on edge as she thought about what the day would bring. 

Her mind swirled with emotions; part of her was giddy and ecstatic to see Francis, having thought about nothing but him ever since the night before. Another part of her was nervous and unsure of how the day would progress; would he ignore her? Would they pretend that nothing was different? Would Olivia be at school that day? 

Some of her questions were answered when she walked into the tall doors of her school and immediately caught sight of Olivia’s tousled blonde waves. The girl was flocked by her friends and cronies, who stood by, enraptured, as Olivia talked. Mary didn’t know exactly what she was saying, but judging by the look on Olivia’s face, it was clearly a  _ fascinating  _ subject. 

When Mary arrived at her first class, she saw Francis sitting far from their usual spot, and she took that to mean he was keeping his distance for now. Slightly sad not to be sitting next to him, she took a seat elsewhere and tried to focus on her professor. The next few classes followed the same pattern; he was cordial when needed, but steered clear, for the most part. She was a little hurt, but she couldn’t blame him. Part of her was thankful that he wasn’t spending much time with her, because she wasn’t sure she could trust herself not to kiss him. 

Mary was thankful when lunch came around and she got to see all of her friends. To her dismay, the conversation almost immediately turned to none other than Francis. 

“Did you hear?” Greer asked as she sat down. 

“Did I hear what?” Mary asked. 

“Francis and Olivia broke up,” Kenna said, raising her eyebrows suggestively. 

“Oh, they did? That’s weird.” Mary said casually. 

“ _ Right? _ ” Aylee chimed in, leaning in excitedly. “Olivia told everyone about it this morning.” 

“What happened?” Mary asked, eager to know exactly what narrative Olivia had chosen to spread. 

“Francis dumped her out of the blue, apparently.” Lola said. Mary’s eyes widened.  _ So she’s going for the sympathy vote, _ Mary thought. She had been expecting Olivia to frame it as a mutual thing, or even say that she herself had done the dumping, so to preserve her dignity. But apparently, turning herself into a victim was all too irresistible. 

“I heard that he cheated on her,” Greer added. 

“I heard that too,” Aylee chimed in. 

“ _ What?”  _ Mary said, nearly choking on her food. 

“Apparently she’s telling people that Francis has been cheating on her for a month now.” Aylee said. 

“With  _ who? _ ” Mary asked. She hoped her alarm came off as curiosity. 

“She didn’t say,” Greer replied.  _ Oh thank god,  _ Mary thought. 

“Mary,” Kenna said cautiously. “Is there something you’d like to add?” 

“What? No,” Mary said, begging her flushed cheeks not to give her away. That didn’t stop Aylee, Greer, and Lola from turning to her with interest. 

“So it’s a coincidence that they broke up the very weekend after he tried to kiss you, and the weekend that he waited outside your door the entire Saturday?” Kenna smirked. 

“Oh thank god Kenna’s asking the hard questions,” Greer chuckled. “Someone had to do it.” 

“Well, Mary?” Lola prodded her, fighting a grin. 

Mary sighed. She was planning on telling her friends everything, just...not like this. But she figured there was no better time than now.

“You promise you won’t tell?” Mary said quietly, leaning in and looking around to check for prying ears. 

“We swear on Scotland,” Greer said solemnly. The other girls nodded in agreement. 

“Alright,” Mary began hesitantly. “Well, obviously you guys remember that he waited outside my door literally all Saturday…” 

“Duh,” Kenna rolled her eyes. 

“Well, I started to feel really bad for him once it got dark, so I agreed to meet with him the next day.” 

“You did what?” Lola gasped. 

Greer raised her eyebrows doubtfully. “I don’t like where this is going.” 

Aylee gasped. “Why didn’t you tell us!” 

“Shh, don’t interrupt her! I’ve gotta hear this,” Kenna snapped. 

“So yeah, I met up with him on Sunday. And I fully intended to brush him off and tell him to fuck off, like you guys had been telling me to,” Mary paused. 

“Good advice on our end,” Greer nodded. 

“Obviously, I mean, we were worried about you getting swept up by a guy who was with someone else. We didn’t want you to get your heart broken.” Lola said solemnly. 

“And for good reason!” Mary insisted. “You guys were trying to protect me, and I’ll always be grateful for that. But you guys...when I got there, he told me that he had broken up with Olivia.” 

“ _ Already?” _ Aylee asked with wide eyes. 

“Yep. Literally right after...what happened on Thursday night...he went straight to her house and broke up with her right then and there.” 

“Damn,” Greer said, shocked into silence. 

“Okay, so he realized that he basically cheated on his girlfriend and felt bad. Big whoop. Still doesn’t make it okay that he had been stringing you along this whole time.” Kenna said, her lips pursed. 

“She’s right,” Greer said. 

“There’s more, though,” Mary said somewhat impatiently. “Apparently he’s been planning on breaking up with Olivia for a long time now, and, according to him, ‘especially once he met me’. But...and you guys  _ really  _ can’t tell anyone this part...Olivia found out her parents are splitting up, and she’s been really distraught. So Francis didn’t want to break up with her right after she got that news. He was trying to be a good person.” 

“Oh shit,” Greer said, chuckling in awe. 

“So you’re telling me that he’d been planning on breaking up with Olivia for a while, presumably so he could be with you, but hadn’t, because..he was trying to preserve her feelings?” Kenna said, her eyebrows raised as she put together the pieces. 

“Pretty much, yeah.” Mary bit her lip. 

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I kind of get it,” Lola admitted. 

“ _ Really? _ ” Kenna asked, slightly exasperated. 

“Yeah,” Lola insisted. “I mean, Francis may have done some dumb stuff in leading Mary on or whatever, but he’s a good person, and he clearly didn’t want to break up with Olivia when she was going through something hard. I think that’s noble.” 

“But that doesn’t excuse the fact that he flirted with Mary and almost kissed her, all while he was  _ still  _ with Olivia.” Greer added, folding her arms in front of her. 

“I think it’s romantic,” Aylee said. “I don’t blame him. He couldn’t help himself because he liked her.” 

“I call bullshit.” Kenna said matter-of-factly. “If he really liked her, he would’ve waited until he was completely single before trying to kiss her. He played with her feelings. That’s a dick move.”

“I’m with Kenna on this,” Greer added. 

“People make mistakes, guys,” Lola insisted. “It doesn’t mean he’s a bad person.” 

“Yeah! He was trying to do the right thing!” Aylee said. 

Kenna scoffed. “Yeah, well, he  _ didn’t  _ do the right thing. He should’ve dumped that bottle-blonde bitch the second he started to catch feelings for our Mary.” 

“He was just trying to avoid kicking her when she was down!” Aylee insisted. 

Mary interrupted, exasperated. “Don’t you guys give a shit what  _ I  _ think?” 

Her friends quieted, a little taken aback by her small outburst. 

“Of course, how could we be so stupid. We’re sorry, Mary,” Lola said, reaching across the table to grab her hand. Mary smiled at her in thanks. 

“There’s one more thing that I didn’t tell you guys,” Mary said. “He didn’t just…’catch feelings,’ or whatever.” 

“What do you mean?” Greer asked. 

“Guys, he said...he said he loves me.” Mary said, unable to stop the grin that broke across her face at saying the words out loud. 

“Oh my god!” Aylee gasped. Mary’s other friends reacted similarly, their mouths gaping open. 

“So he wasn’t just...developing a crush on me. He was falling in love with me. Which is why he broke things off with Olivia immediately after he almost kissed me. He realized that in trying not to hurt her, he had hurt  _ me _ , and he felt so bad. He literally couldn’t stop apologizing, you guys. But he’s in  _ love _ with me.” At this point Mary was smiling so widely her cheeks were pinching. 

“ _ And? _ ” Greer looked at her expectantly. “Do you love him too?” 

Mary bit her lip. “I do.” 

“ _ Oh. My. God!”  _ Aylee squealed, her volume threatening to cross above the near-whisper threshold they’d managed to stick to so far. 

“Fuck, you like,  _ love him, _ love him?” Kenna said, her eyebrows raised. 

“Yeah, I  _ love him,  _ love him.” Mary rolled her eyes and grinned. 

“I guess this changes things,” Greer said, fighting a smile. 

“Agreed,” Kenna added. “I suppose it’s,” she sighed, “ _ romantic _ , or whatever. But remember, we forgive, but we never forget. The second he wrongs you again it’s his balls in the woodshop table saw.” 

“That seems a little excessive,” Mary laughed. “But the sentiment checks out.” 

“Oh my god, Mary’s in  _ looove _ !” Aylee said in a sing-song voice. 

“You lucky duck,” Lola grinned. 

“So I’m assuming you guys are like, dating now?” Greer asked. 

“Pretty much,” Mary replied. “But you guys can’t tell anyone, okay? Promise?” 

“Why not?” Kenna asked, doubt creeping into her tone. 

“Because he doesn’t want people to think I’m a rebound.”

“Aww, that’s so romantic!” Aylee gasped. 

“But he’s not going to keep you a secret forever, right?” Greer said dubiously. 

“Of course not,” Mary insisted. Thankfully, she missed the look of concern shared between Greer and Kenna, the resident realists of the group. 

“Your secret is safe with us,” Lola added, giving Mary a bright smile. 

Mary was secretly grateful when the lunch conversation shifted to another topic, relieved to be out of the hot seat. Her friends seemed to be supportive, but she couldn’t help but feel that they were also a little doubtful of Francis, especially Kenna. A tiny part of her thought that maybe Kenna’s suspicions were right, that she should be wary rushing into anything with a guy who had only just gotten out of a four year relationship, and who had practically been cheating on Olivia with her. But as soon as those thoughts entered her mind she shook them away, eager to enjoy the euphoria of her and Francis’s budding relationship. 

Throughout the rest of the day, she and Francis exchanged covert looks and smiles, and being so close yet so far from him was driving her crazy. Every time she looked at him she was reminded of how amazing it had felt to have his lips on hers and his hands running over her body. Now that she had tasted a bit of him, she craved more. Mary didn’t know how it was possible, but she found him even more attractive now than she did before. She was distracted all throughout her classes, barely absorbing a word her professors were saying because her mind was entirely focused on his bright blue eyes, his strong arms, and his soft lips. More than anything else, she wanted to dash across the room and capture his lips with hers, to run her hands through his floppy curls and press herself against him. 

He seemed to be battling similar urges, because towards the end of the day, she got a text from him. 

**Francis:** _ Meet me in the ceramics room after school.  _

  
  


………..

  
  


Francis arrived there before her, and he paced nervously as he waited. Thankfully, Mary showed up only minutes later. 

“What are you thinking? Someone will see us!” she whispered as she crept inside. 

“This classroom is empty during the last period, and students don’t hang out around here because it’s so out of the way. Oh, and Ms. Smith advises the Art Club after school on Mondays so she won’t be in here either.” Francis grinned. 

“Sounds like you’ve done your research,” Mary laughed. 

“Sure have,” Francis replied as he stepped towards her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned upwards to kiss his cheek softly. The feel of her soft lips against his cheek send a jolt of electricity down his spine. 

“You have know idea how hard it’s been not to kiss you this entire day,” Francis uddered, his voice deep. 

“Believe me, I feel the same way,” Mary replied with a grin. “Who gave you the right to look this handsome? This whole day I’ve had half a mind to jump you in your seat and show you just how much I want you.” 

He responded by pulling her tightly towards him and planting a deep kiss on her mouth, and Mary immediately reciprocated, parting her lips and darting her tongue along his bottom lip, which elicited a slight moan from him in response. 

He felt her giggle against his lips, and then she moaned slightly herself when he danced his tongue into her mouth, pushing against her playfully. Feeling daring and spurred on by her reactions, he gently nipped at her bottom lip, tugging on it slightly. She moaned again, and Francis tried to ignore the rush of blood to his groin that threatened to expose his excitement. 

“Francis,” Mary gasped when he pulled away and started planting kisses on her jaw and neck. 

“Yes my love?” he asked teasingly, not pausing his affections for even one second. 

“We’re going to be late to practice,” she said, although somewhat unconvincingly. 

“Don’t care,” he replied before gently sucking on the delicate skin of her jaw just below her ear. She shuddered in pleasure. 

“But you’re  _ captain _ , Francis,” Mary breathed. 

“So they’ll make me run laps as punishment. You’re worth it.” Francis said, meeting her gaze once more and placing a gentle kiss on her lips. 

Mary giggled. “Well, I for one am not eager to see how Coach Blackburn punishes tardiness. As hard as it is, I really do need to go.” 

He acquiesced and gave her one last kiss, soft and passionate, before pulling away. 

“I’ll be thinking of you,” Francis said. 

“And I you,” Mary insisted, squeezing his hand before heading for the door. When he didn’t follow, she turned to him, confused. 

“I’ll wait a minute or so after you leave, so people don’t see us together,” Francis explained. 

A flash of what looked like disappointment crossed Mary’s face, but before Francis could question it, the look was gone. 

“Of course,” Mary replied, nodding. 

“I’ll see you tonight? Do you want to study?” Francis asked. 

“Sure, I’ll see you then.” Mary grinned. 

“Oh, and Mary?” Francis called to her just as she was starting to open the door. 

“Yeah?” 

“You might want to bring back those clothes you borrowed yesterday.” he grinned. 

“I’ll bring back Claude’s leggings,” Mary said, chuckling. “But your t-shirt? Not a chance. It’s mine now.” she smirked at him before pushing the door open and heading out. 

Francis couldn’t help the massive grin that covered his face. 

  
  


…………

  
  


Tuesday of that week, Francis told Bash. 

It was on their walk to school that Francis decided to break the news. Thankfully, Bash had been out with friends the previous night, so he hadn’t been home to witness Mary’s presence firsthand. But Francis knew that soon enough Bash would be home when Mary came over, and that it would be even harder to hide their relationship when Bash saw them together. 

A large part of Francis was eager to tell his brother. Bash had always been his closest friend and best confidante, and with news of this magnitude, Francis had always told his brother first. He was excited to share this new development in his life with Bash. 

Another part of him was dying to share because it was Francis’s warped way of proving to his brother that Mary was  _ his _ . Francis wasn’t blind, he saw how Bash looked a little too long at Mary, and he’d never be able to get the image out of his mind of Bash pressed up against Mary that night in the kitchen. Telling his brother that he and Mary were together now meant that she was officially  _ off-limits _ to Bash, and he was eager to remove Bash as a potential obstacle from the path of his new relationship. 

A smaller part of Francis was dreading telling his brother the truth. Bash knew better than anyone just how much Francis had strung Mary along. He’d seen how Francis flirted with Mary and pined for her despite still being in a relationship with Olivia. Though Mary insisted that she forgave him, Francis still felt absolutely awful for how he’d hurt her. He worried that telling Bash about him and Mary would open him up for criticism and scolding from his brother. Bash certainly thought that Francis wasn’t good enough for Mary given his actions. Francis worried that once Bash knew the truth he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from expressing this sentiment; to Francis, or worse: to Mary herself. 

The pros weighed out the cons, though, not to mention the fact that Francis couldn’t keep Mary a secret forever, not if he wanted to have her over again. It was frankly shocking that his blabbermouth siblings hadn’t clued Bash in yet, after the way he’d fawned over her on Sunday. That is, he didn’t think they had told, not with how Bash had been acting lately. 

So, on that crisp Tuesday morning, Francis spoke. “I have something to tell you,” he said cautiously as they walked. 

“What is it?” Bash asked casually. 

“Well, you know I broke up with Olivia, right?” 

“I gathered that much,” Bash joked. 

“Well, I’m kind of...with Mary now.” Francis admitted, leaving his revelation hanging thickly in the air. 

To his surprise, Bash responded with a curt, “I know.” 

“You do?” Francis turned to him, his eyes wide.

“Of course,” Bash smirked. “Claude told me the minute I got home on Sunday.” 

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Francis asked, shocked. 

“I was waiting for you to tell me yourself,” Bash replied. 

“Oh, okay,” Francis said, a little stunned. “Well, now you know officially, I guess.” 

“I guess so.” Bash said, his gaze remaining forward. 

Silence fell like a thick blanket over the pair, and Francis thought to himself that this might be the first time ever that the quiet between him and his brother felt stiflingly uncomfortable. 

“Are you going to say anything?” Francis finally asked. 

“What is there to say?” Bash asked quietly. 

“I don’t know, maybe that you’re happy for me?” Francis scoffed. 

“I’m happy for you. Is that what you want to hear?” Bash turned to him, his face cold and stoic. 

“Gee, thanks,” Francis said sarcastically. 

Bash sighed and rubbed at his eyes. “Just...that girl deserves the best, okay? Don’t hurt her. Don’t fuck it up, Francis.” 

“I won’t,” Francis replied coolly. 

There was no time for further conversation, as they had reached the doors to their school, and Bash disappeared inside before another word could be spoken. His brother hadn’t said so directly, but Francis knew what thoughts laid unspoken behind Bash’s quiet demeanor. The disappointment, the disdain, the jealousy, it all remained under the surface of Bash’s facade, and Francis could see it clearly. 

Bash thought Francis didn’t deserve Mary. That much was painfully clear. 

  
  


………..

  
  


The rest of the week followed similarly; Mary and Francis maintained a respectable distance at school, in front of prying eyes, but they regularly snuck off to make out whenever they had the chance. They spent nearly every evening after their respective practices together, and for once Mary was actually glad that her mother spent so little time at home. It meant she didn’t have to explain why she was spending so much time at the Valois’. 

Surprisingly, neither Mary nor Francis found their academics slipping; to Francis’s dismay, Mary did indeed insist that they actually  _ study _ every evening, though he would be content to kiss her for hours instead. She didn’t avoid kissing him altogether, of course, and had actually proposed “makeout breaks” after a certain amount of studying done. This proved to be very motivational for both of them, and Francis actually found himself getting  _ ahead  _ on the material for his classes. 

Francis absolutely loved spending time with Mary, and he couldn’t help but feel giddy at how easily she fit in with his siblings. Olivia had never made much of an effort to get to know his family, which had always bothered him. He may not be very fond of his father, but Francis adored his siblings, and being with someone who actually got along with them was surprisingly refreshing. 

Mary was thoroughly enjoying her time spent with not just Francis, but with the entire Valois clan. She had an older half-brother, James, but he was significantly older than her and they weren’t particularly close, having never grown up in the same household and only seeing each other a few times a year. The experience of being around a big family made her heart warm, and she felt a void filling, the void that she’d been so careful not to dwell on throughout her years. 

Bash was finding excuse after excuse to stay away from home these days, a fact which Mary noticed curiously but didn’t analyze. Francis was not so aloof; he knew  _ exactly  _ why his older brother was steering clear, and he couldn’t say he was exactly upset at his absence. The less he had to see Bash, especially around Mary, the less he had to think about how he’d hurt her, or how poorly his brother thought of his actions. 

Everything was going swimmingly, for the most part. Deep down Mary was a little confused and hurt that he still wanted to keep them a secret, not to mention the other doubts that had filled her mind after her initial conversation with her friends. Even though he seemed to be completely over Olivia, Mary couldn’t help but worry that there was a part of him that still had feelings for her. She also worried that since Francis was so quick to stray from a girl he’d been with for years, he’d have no problem doing the same to her, someone he’d been with for only mere days. 

She kept these apprehensions buried, assuring herself that they’d resolve themselves with time. The last thing she wanted to do was bring them up, worried that doing so would only push Francis away, confirming her suspicions in one fell swoop. All she could do was put her faith in Francis, and hope that he’d prove her worst fears wrong. 

Mary's outfit because I absolutely LOVE a good outfit, and finding visuals for my writing! 

ceramics classroom 

streets of upper east side

some visuals for the ~cafeteria~


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mary goes to Francis's first game.

It was nearly the end of the first week that Francis and Mary had been together. They’d managed to avoid suspicion on all fronts, and none of their classmates seemed any the wiser. Courtesy of Francis, they’d also met up in empty rooms or even closets throughout the day. 

On Friday of that week, they met up in an empty classroom in the minutes they had between the last class and their student council meeting. 

“I missed you,” Francis said as he gently palmed her cheek and pulled her close for a kiss. Mary felt her knees go slightly weak; the effect he had on her hadn’t seemed to dull, even with time. Each and every kiss was as awe-inducing as their first. 

  
“You saw me, like, ten minutes ago,” Mary said, laughing. 

“Yeah, but I couldn’t do this,” he smirked before kissing her again. She reveled in the warmth and softness of his lips, feeling her body turn to mush as he looped his hands around her waist and pulled her close to him. Mary reached her own hands up around his neck and ran her hands through the curls at the base of his skull, hearing him moan slightly in response. 

After a few minutes, their kisses slowed, and Mary pulled away to look at him. 

“Your first game is tonight, right?” she bit her lip slightly. She was surprised he hadn’t mentioned it yet, and she didn’t know if she should read into it that he hadn’t invited her. It was understandable since he still wanted to keep their relationship under-wraps, but wouldn’t he at least want her there in the stands, for support? 

“Yeah, it is,” he said offhandedly. “Why?” 

“I’m just surprised you haven’t said anything, is all.” she admitted. 

“Why would I?” he asked, looking a little confused. 

“Because it’s a big deal, and you’re the captain, so I thought you’d at least mention it.” she explained, flustered. 

“I mean, it is a big game, but I just didn’t think to say anything,” he said with a shrug. 

“Why didn’t you invite me? Did you not think I would care?” Mary asked. 

He looked shocked. “What? No, it’s not---” 

“Or did you just not want me there?” Mary interrupted. 

“Mary, that’s not--”

“I know I’m not a cheerleader like Olivia, but I could at least be there in the stands to support you secretly.” Mary rambled, biting her lip. She could feel herself getting worked up as she word-vomited her fears and apprehensions. 

“Mary,” Francis said louder than his usual tone, grabbing her hands and catching her gaze. “It’s not any of that. I honestly just didn’t think about it. There’s no deeper meaning, I just forgot. But of course I would love for you to be there, if you want to come.” 

“Are you sure?” Mary asked with furrowed brows. 

“Of course!” Francis insisted. 

“Okay,” she conceded with a small smile. Even though her brain was telling her to read into everything, she trusted him when he said he wanted her at his game. Her slight apprehension must have shown on her face, though, because Francis reassured her. 

“I’m really excited to have you there,” he said. “I’ll bring by something special for you to wear, okay?” 

“Alright,” Mary said, smiling more fully now. 

“I love you, Mary,” Francis said in a hushed tone as he kissed her brow. 

“I love you too, Francis,” she whispered back. 

The pair exchanged one last kiss before turning to go, with Francis going first this time. Mary followed a few minutes after, and although they both were apprehended for showing up to the student council meeting late, no one seemed to connect the dots. 

  
  


…………

  
  


The game was set to start in two hours, and Mary was a little nervous. She’d never been to a football game before. Back in California, she didn’t go to games; she didn’t have any friends on the team, none of her friends went, and she didn’t have much of a sense of obligation due to “school spirit.” For many reasons, things were different here, and thankfully, Kenna, Aylee, Greer, and Lola were regular game-goers, so she wouldn’t be alone. 

She was about to text them with questions about what to wear when her phone buzzed with a text from Francis. 

**Francis** :  _ Check your porch <3  _

Mary hurried down the stairs and opened the door to find a neatly folded bundle of fabric on the doorstep, with a note atop it written in his scrawled penmanship. 

_ Mary,  _

_ I’ve brought you something to wear for the game. It’ll make you the best dressed fan in the stadium, if I do say so myself. :)  _

_ See you tonight!  _

_ Love, Francis _

She folded the note and tucked it into her back pocket with a grin before unfolding the royal blue fabric. To her surprise, it was none other than Francis’s jersey, recognizable by his number on the back. In blocky gold print read the team name,  _ Angels _ . She held it to her nose and inhaled slightly, and smiled when she caught the familiar scent of Francis’s laundry detergent. 

Mary tucked the jersey under her arm and pulled out her phone to text her friends for advice. 

**Mary** _ : Francis gave me his jersey to wear but I don’t know what to wear on the bottom. Thoughts?? _

**Aylee:** _ He gave you his WHAT????? _

**Greer:** _ omfg _

**Lola:** _ yaaaaassss!!! _

**Mary:** _ why are you guys freaking out?? _

**Kenna:** _ Mary, have you ever been to a football game?  _

**Mary:** _ uhh, no, why? _

**Aylee:** _ wearing a guy’s jersey ~means~ something !!! _

**Mary:** _ what?? _

**Greer:** _ It’s like telling everyone you’re together. Guys give their jerseys to girls they’re dating.  _

**Kenna:** _ to put it primally, it’s like marking your territory ;)  _

**Mary:** _ okay yeah I did NOT know that  _

**Aylee:** _ you’re going to wear it still, aren’t you?  _

**Mary:** _ I mean, yeah, I didn’t know he wanted to tell people now but this seems like as good a time as ever ? _

**Lola:** _ Yay!! _

**Aylee:** _ sooo romantic omg omg omg!!!! _

**Kenna:** _ it’s about time that boy got his head out of his ass and went public with you _

**Greer:** _ lmao agreed!!  _

**Lola:** _ Congrats Mare!! This is a big step! <3  _

**Greer:** _ Oh, and to answer your question, black leggings :) simple, warm if it gets chilly, and makes you look hot >:)  _

**Kenna:** _ seconded!  _

**Mary:** _ haha alright, thanks guys!! _

**Aylee:** _ no prob bb, see you soon!  _

  
  


Mary’s heart raced. How could she not have recognized the symbolism of wearing Francis’s jersey immediately? Of course it was a big deal, everyone would see her wearing it, bearing his number, and would certainly connect the dots. This new realization was a little daunting. She didn’t think Francis would want to go public so soon, and she figured she’d have a little time beforehand to prepare emotionally. But she certainly wasn’t upset; his willingness to step into the public eye eased her apprehensions. She was ready to not have to hide, to feel like she wasn’t his dirty little secret. 

Mary felt nervous, but giddy as she got ready for the game. She curled her hair in soft waves and did her makeup, even putting on gold eyeshadow to match the school colors. Finally, she donned Francis’s jersey and leggings, and snapped a picture of herself to send to her friends. They hyped her up as she hoped they would, bolstering her confidence. 

Soon, it was time to leave, and Mary headed to the coffee shop that was central to her and her friends’ places. She was excited to see that they were all dressed in school colors as well, and once they boarded the subway Aylee pulled out a tube of blue face paint. Mary sat still like a doll as her friends decorated her face with the blue paint, doing theirs to match. 

Before long they arrived at their stop, and the group excitedly got off and walked towards the stadium. Mary could hear the lively cheers and hollers of the crowd even from a distance as they approached. 

As her friends led her inside, Mary stood in awe of the spectacle ahead of her. Both teams appeared to be stretching and warming up on either side of the field, and the stands were nearly full. She spotted some familiar faces and some new ones, as students and families alike chattered excitedly. 

Her friends led her to the stadium and they surveyed the space for an opening. Mary scanned the crowd and her attention was quickly drawn to a waving hand near the front, which she realized was actually waving to her. It was none other than Charles. 

“Mary! Over here!” the boy yelled faintly, his voice drowned out over the crowd. She waved back with a wide grin and nudged her friends. 

“It looks like they’ve saved a spot for us,” she said. 

Her friends shrugged. “I’m down,” Kenna nodded. Her other friends echoed. 

The group headed towards Charles’ voice, and Mary felt eyes on her as they walked past students and fans alike who knew Francis’s number and were immediately scandalized by the jersey she wore. 

“They’re staring,” Mary muttered nervously. 

“ _ Let  _ them,” Kenna smirked. 

Mary held her head high and tried to ignore the stares and whispers that swarmed around her as they walked. She was thankful when they reached the open space near the Valois family, which she now realized had been conveniently reserved. 

“Mary!” Margot exclaimed with excitement. “Yay! You’re here!” 

“Francis had us save you guys a spot,” Henri grinned. “Looks like you’re going to have to find a new girlfriend, Charles,” he teased his brother. 

“Shut up,” Charles growled, shooting his brother a look. 

“It’s lovely to see you, Mary,” Catherine said, her voice level and guarded. 

“And you, Mrs. de Medici,” Mary smiled. “Thank you for letting us sit with you.” 

“Anything for Francis,” Catherine added. “Why don’t you introduce us to your friends?” 

“Of course,” Mary said, internally berating herself for not doing so yet. “Kenna, Lola, Greer, and Aylee,” Mary gestured to her friends. 

“Hello!” Aylee chimed and extended a hand to Catherine. The woman looked slightly surprised but accepted the handshake. Her other friends said their introductions as well. 

Once everyone became acquainted, Mary surveyed the space to see where they could sit. The only remaining space was right at the front, between Margot and Bash, who Mary was surprised to see. Her friends filed in and talked amongst themselves, leaving her to sandwich herself next to Bash somewhat awkwardly. 

“Hey Mary,” Bash waved. 

“Hello,” Mary smiled. 

“You look...um, nice?” Bash said, giving her a once over. 

“Don’t sound  _ too _ convinced,” Mary teased. 

“Sorry, it’s just...I wasn’t exactly expecting you to be wearing his jersey, is all.” 

Mary shrugged. “I wasn’t either, until a few hours ago.”

“Guess the cat’s out of the bag,” Bash said, turning his gaze to the field. He looked out at the action, but his heart didn’t seem to be in it as he watched the players. 

“It seems to be,” Mary replied. “Everyone has been staring at me ever since I got here.” she admitted. 

“I mean, it’s kind of a big deal, the Fontainebleau golden boy taking a new girl so fast.” Bash remarked. 

“You make it sound like I’m a rebound,” Mary said coolly. She hoped her tone hid her nerves, as Bash had just inadvertently added fuel to the flames of her insecurities. 

“What? No, that’s not what I meant,” Bash said, turning to her. 

“ _ Sure, _ ” Mary rolled her eyes. 

“No, really, Mary. You’re not his rebound. He...he really does like you.” Bash said. Mary swore she could hear some sadness in his tone, which confused her. 

“I hope you’re right,” Mary admitted. She found herself wanting to be honest with Bash, which surprised her. “It  _ has _ kinda felt like that lately.” 

“Mary, you really don’t need to be worried,” Bash assured her, touching her arm lightly. She found his touch comforting. 

“I know, I know, and honestly I’m probably just getting in my head about it. But I do worry, since he was with Olivia for so long, and he literally broke up with her a week ago.” 

“Olivia was never very good for him. At least for him, they’ve been over for a long time.” 

“Do you think I’m better suited for him?” Mary asked, her voice small and somewhat vulnerable. 

Bash paused. “Yeah, I do,” he said, and something in his tone told Mary not to push any further. Luckily, the loud music began, signaling that the game was set to begin soon. 

As the Fontainebleau Angels congregated on their side of the field, Mary spotted Francis for the first time. His bright golden curls shone like a beacon, slightly plastered to his temples with a slight sheen of sweat. Mary’s stomach flipped at the sight of him; he looked even more handsome than usual in his uniform. 

He appeared to be scanning the crowd for her, and she waved her arms to get his attention. He caught her eye almost immediately, and when he saw her a huge grin broke out across his face. He waved at her and she waved back, a fact that was not missed, judging by the titters from the crowd. At their reaction, Francis smirked, before kissing his palm and then extending his arm out, as if to send the kiss her way. As he did so, he winked at her. Mary laughed and rolled her eyes playfully at the cheesiness, but that didn’t stop her from grasping at the air as if to catch the kiss and bringing her hand to her own lips. 

The saccharine gesture was not lost to anyone, least of all Francis’s ex-girlfriend. She could practically feel the daggers that Olivia was shooting her from the sidelines. She looked over to the girl and saw her glaring, her hands on either hip. It was hard to tell from afar, but Mary thought she also spotted a hint of tears in Olivia’s eyes, and she couldn’t help but feel bad. 

Olivia was not the only one who had taken notice; Mary caught wind of a few gasps and whispers from other fans in the stadium, and she tried not to give them too much thought. Her phone buzzed in her pocket with a text from Claude, who emphatically expressed a “ _ hell yeah _ ,” and she spotted Margot grinning toothily from the corner of her eye. To her surprise, though, she felt Bash tense by her side. She wanted to say something, but wasn’t entirely sure if she had interpreted his body language correctly, and she didn’t want to make a fool of herself. 

Soon, the game officially started, and Mary lost herself in the spectacle, the sights and sounds of high school football. Thankfully, she had Lola on one side and Bash on the other, with the rest of her friends and Francis’s family close by, so she had plenty of people to answer her questions when she didn’t quite understand the game. Before long, she caught on, and she was cheering on Francis’s victories as loud as the rest, if not louder. 

Fontainebleau was ahead when the halftime buzzer rang, to everyone’s delight. The team dispersed and a new group took the field, leaving Mary confused. 

“Why are the cheerleaders on the field?” she leaned in and asked Lola, her voice hushed. 

“They perform at halftimes,” Lola explained. “Not always, but usually they’ll do the first game, and any of the important ones.” 

“Oh, okay. Thanks,” Mary replied, trying not to get too shaken as she watched Olivia lead a pack of equally beautiful cheerleaders to the field, taking her position at the front. 

The girls got into their opening positions, and Mary was surprised when she recognized the familiar thumping beats of their song. Olivia remained front and center as the team launched into a series of dance moves, stunts, and tumbling passes. When the chorus came, they all rejoined and danced in synchronicity. 

“ _ Don’t cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me,”  _ the song blared, and the cheerleaders shimmied and swayed in perfect time with the lyrics. When they started shaking their hips and running their hands over their bodies sensually, the students in the crowd, and the football team alike, whooped and cheered. Mary gritted her teeth instinctively. She suspected the music, and the dance alike, were a ploy from Olivia. 

“Why do I feel like Olivia had some role in choosing this song,” Mary muttered to Lola next to her. 

During one round of ‘ _ don’t cha’s,  _ where Olivia was an obvious center of attention, she pointed at Francis directly, making eye contact with him. She kept her finger pointed at him as another ‘ _ don’t cha’  _ rang out, and smirked suggestively. The roars from the crowd got even louder at Olivia’s action, and Mary felt her cheeks blush red. 

Olivia had every right to be mad, Mary couldn’t deny it; from Olivia’s perspective, Mary had been the straw that broke the camel’s back when it came to Olivia and Francis’s relationship. Mary would even go as far as to admit that if the situations were reversed, she’d be similarly angry. But humiliating Mary so publicly by taunting her in front of the whole school, not to mention hundreds of other attendees? That seemed cruel, even for Olivia. 

Mary did her best to keep her composure as the dance continued, remaining as suggestive and pointed through its entirety. She was determined not to let Olivia make her feel small, but it was getting harder and harder to stay resolute as she watched the dance continue. Tears sprung to her eyes when Olivia pointed to Francis once more. 

As the dance was ending, Mary felt her resolve crack. She excused herself and got up to get some air, to her friend’s confusion, and started squeezing her way past rows of people and to the stairs. She was doing so when the cheerleaders hit their final pose, and her ears rang when the crowd broke out into wild applause and cheers. She forced herself to keep going, knowing that once she was alone, she could collect herself and let down the collected facade she’d been carefully keeping. 

  
  


……….

  
  


Francis was  _ mad _ , for his sake, but even more so for Mary’s. 

It couldn’t have been easy for Mary to sit in the stands as Olivia very publicly laid claim to him through her team’s stupid routine. He had tried not to give any reaction throughout the performance, even as his teammates whooped and hollered alongside him, egging him on and bringing even further attention to him. By the end he was having trouble not visibly fuming; how  _ dare  _ Olivia do something so selfish and mean-spirited! He had no idea how Olivia convinced her coach to choose this song, but he was sure it took plenty of convincing and schmoozing. 

When the dance finished and attention was finally off of him, he looked up into the stands to where he knew Mary would be sitting with his family, hoping to assure her with his eyes the best he could. But he was surprised to find her absent from her previous position, and when he scanned the crowd he saw her squeezing past people, apparently trying to get to the stairs. 

Without a second thought, Francis took off towards the stands, hoping to intercept her before she could get too far away. He ran up the stairs and aisles until he reached her, just as she broke free of the crowd. 

“Mary,” he said breathlessly, grabbing her arm. 

“Francis?” she turned to him, clearly surprised to see him. His heart sank when he saw that she had tears welling in her eyes. 

“What are you doing up here?” she asked in shock. 

“This,” he replied before pulling her in tightly for a kiss. One of his hands snaked around her waist, pulling her close, and the other weaved its way into her hair. 

For a split second she was frozen, but after that she kissed him back, and Francis could feel her smile against his lips. They stood like that, intertwined, and neither seemed to particularly care that the eyes of practically the entire stadium and both teams were on them. After a moment that was impossibly quiet for a football stadium, the crowd erupted into cheers, apparently moved by the impromptu show of romance. 

“People will talk,” Mary said as she pulled away. 

“Let them,” Francis replied with a grin, before kissing her once more. 

They managed to get in several more seconds of kissing before a sharp whistle blow and a familiar voice broke through their reverie. 

“ _ Valois! _ ” Francis’s coach called. “Get your ass back down here!” 

“Sounds like you better get going,” Mary laughed. 

“You’re probably right,” Francis replied. “Promise you won’t leave, though?”

She gave him a smile that threatened to turn his insides to mush. “I promise,” she replied, before kissing his cheek and giving him a little push to send him on his way. 

As he headed back down the stairs, he turned to catch her eye one more time. “ _ Love you,”  _ he mouthed secretively. 

“ _ Love you too,”  _ she mouthed back in reply. 

He played even better for the rest of the game, spurred on by the affections and approval of the girl he loved. At every chance he got, he looked up into the stadium to catch a glimpse of her, which never failed to warm his heart. They exchanged glances and waves for the entirety of the game, and Francis was finally satisfied that the school, the opposing team, and even the fans in the stadium knew just where his heart laid. 

Aviator Sports, a complex in Brooklyn where the few actual high school football teams in Manhattan play. Some ~stadium inspo~, aka what I was envisioning while writing this hahaha inspo for Mary wearing Francis's jersey...yes imagine this cheesy shit 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok I know some elements of this were a little unrealistic but bear with me. 
> 
> Obviously very few high schools in Manhattan actually have football teams, so use your ~imagination~ ok haha 
> 
> also when I was in hs the EPITOME of romance was wearing your bf's jersey, so I wanted to incorporate that!! And yes, that is absolutely an A Cinderella Story reference, in case you caught it. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!!!


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